


Sinking in Your Deep Blue Sea

by Kittyluv2000



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Familiar Hunk, Familiar Lance, Familiar Shiro, Langst, Magic AU, Maybe some kissing idek, Multi, Not actually Shklance, Slow Burn, Wizard Keith, Wizard Pidge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2018-10-09 02:27:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 24,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10401681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittyluv2000/pseuds/Kittyluv2000
Summary: Pidge and Keith have their own lives, their own Familiars, their own magic. But when a rogue Familiar arrives in their city, followed closely by the Galra, everything they thought they knew is turned on its head. Turns out calm and collected Shiro can hold grudges, and Keith isn't at all the person he thought he was.Wizard AU I made up at like 11 pm...it is not at all slow-paced, and this summary does it no justice. I suck at summaries. :')





	1. Cat Burglar

**Chapter One: Cat Burglar **

Pidge frowns at the screen floating in front of them, the greenish glow from it giving them a sickly look. Although, they might actually just look sickly, considering how they haven't slept properly in about a week. Next to them, a chubby golden falcon fluffs his wings contentedly, watching the numbers crunch on the screen at the same time as Pidge. Pidge reaches over to absentmindedly scratch their familiar on the head, knowing full well that he could be off doing whatever he wants but has opted to stay with Pidge despite this task undoubtedly being highly boring for him.

_ Thanks, Hunk.  _ They think gratefully, and the bird nods and answers in their mind. 

**_You know I don't mind staying with you. Especially after last time you stayed up like this. You passed out mid-calculation._ ** Pidge rolls their eyes. 

_ Oh, I had  _ _ no _ _ idea. It's not like you've  _ _ constantly _ _ reminded me of that this entire past week.  _ The bird next to them makes a strange coughing sound that Pidge takes as laughter, and the two both settle back down to finish gathering all the data Pidge has amassed as proof. 

See, for the past few weeks, there have been a lot of complaints of missing magical objects, or spells and charms completely drained of magic. Pidge has a theory that the culprit is a rogue Familiar, one subsisting on stolen magic instead of its master’s. And considering how all of the thefts have occurred in and around a specific quadrant of the city, Pidge has a pretty good idea where the Familiar is staying. The screen disappears as Pidge stands, scooping up their various gadgets and a tiny, handmade robot, stuffing them all unceremoniously into their carrier bag as they dash to their bicycle.  _ Time for a visit to Keith.  _

.oOo.

Keith is  _ not  _ amused when,  _ hours  _ before he would have normally woken up, a loud, insistent knock wakes him up. A  _ very familiar  _ loud, insistent knock. An amused voice calls to Keith from his living room. 

“Want me to let them in?” Keith groans. 

“Yeah, go ahead. We all know they'll just  _ break  _ in unless you do.” His familiar, Shiro, chuckles and opens the door for Pidge. The excited teen rushes in, calling a rushed, 

“Hi!” to Shiro and then barging into Keith's room with no concern as to whether or not Keith is dressed or not. He  _ isn't,  _ but Pidge doesn't even glance his way before launching into a long-winded, enthusiastic explanation about everything they've been working on. In the next room, both of the Familiars laugh as Keith shrieks indignantly at his fellow wizard as they ignore him completely. 

An hour later, and Pidge has successfully blackmailed Keith into helping them. Keith will be searching for the Familiar with Pidge using their technology magic to keep him on the right track with a conjured earpiece. If Keith refuses, well…Pidge’s little robot companion, named Rover, has some  _ great  _ candid photos of naked Keith freaking out at Pidge in his room. 

.oOo.

A small, blue cat slinks around a corner silently, bright blue eyes glowing softly as it fixes its gaze on a series of arcane symbols surrounding the stoop in front of it. The symbols glow softly, warding the stoop against magical creatures, and the blue cat purrs as it feeds off of the magical energy the wards are giving off. It continues until there's  _ just  _ enough to keep the wards going, and then pads off to find a new target. Its ear twitches and its attention is diverted as a wizard walks past, yelling into an earpiece and arguing with whoever's on the other end. The cat follows discreetly, amused and curious. 

“…said go  _ right!  _ I went  _ right!  _ You need to  _ sleep _ , you're getting your directions wrong!” A pause.  _ “I went  _ _ right _ _! Ask  _ _ Hunk _ _!  _ Now hurry up and tell me where to go so I can find the stupid Familiar!” The cat glances ahead and almost laughs aloud at what's coming up. This guy has  _ no idea.  _ The cat sniffs and actually  _ does  _ laugh.  _ Oh, this is even  _ _ better _ _. He's a  _ _ fire _ _ wizard!  _ The boy takes a few more steps, and then abruptly stops talking with a loud  **_splash_ ** . The cat bursts into loud, hysterical laughter and then sprints away, knowing full well that the guy will be chasing after him now. He said that he was looking for a Familiar, and the cat has a sneaking suspicion that he's the Familiar in question. So he runs, and sure enough, the boy runs after him. Sopping wet and  _ furious _ . 

.oOo.

Keith curses profusely as he chases after the chortling blue cat, Pidge yelling at him through his earpiece to:

_ “Get that cat! That's the one!”  _ Keith pushes himself to run faster, wet shoes slapping on the cobblestone street with his eyes trained on the fleeing Familiar. It's really an obvious Familiar, as  _ usually,  _ even cats with slight magical abilities aren't freaking  _ cobalt _ . The Familiar streaks around a corner, and Keith smirks.  _ That's a dead end.  _ Sure enough, when Keith rounds the bend, the cat is yowling and hissing at him from the corner of the small alleyway, looking pissed off and frightened. Keith pauses and slowly takes off his backpack, letting Shiro out. The large, black cat with a tuft of white fur on his forehead shakes himself indignantly and morphs into his preferred form, a black lion with the same markings and a white mane. The blue cat stops making  _ any  _ sort of noise and his eyes widen, staring with terror-laced awe at Shiro as his chest heaves. Shiro lets out a low rumble, and the Familiar’s ears lay flat on his head, tail curling beneath him. 

“…Hello, Shiro.” he says quietly, and Keith surmises from his tone that whenever the two met, it wasn't under the best circumstances. Shiro nods to him curtly before speaking, his tone dry and somewhat threatening. 

“I don't know why you're here, Lance, but Allura is looking for you. You've been causing trouble, stealing things and draining magic like that.” Lance looks confused, bit he has no time to say anything before Keith's backpack is over him and he's being zipped up inside. Keith tells Pidge that his mission is a success, and they cheer before relaying that to Allura. When Pidge gets a response, it's not the expected ‘bring him to the Familiar adoption centre’. Rather, Allura directs Keith to bring the blue feline directly to  _ her.  _ Casting a surprised glance at Shiro, Keith starts heading to the city center. Behind him, a large black cat murmurs, 

“I'll explain the situation later, Keith.” as he follows his master. Keith barely nods, but Shiro knows he heard. And in Keith's backpack, Lance shivers at the sound of Shiro’s voice.  _ It's been  _ _ forever _ _ since I heard  _ _ that _ _. I was really hoping I wouldn't ever have to.  _

.oOo.

Allura stares at the fidgety feline before her, taking in the guilty stance and big, pleading eyes. She sighs. 

“Your begging face is adorable as always, Lance, but you  _ know  _ it's not going to work on me.  _ Why  _ did you come back this time? And  _ why  _ have you resorted to petty thievery rather than just coming to  _ visit  _ me?” Lance groans, tail flicking behind him in annoyance. 

“I came back because  _ all of them are dicks _ , Allura. Every single one of those wizards treated me  _ terribly.  _ You know, they stated pretty clearly that they were looking for  _ fire- _ type Familiars. I am the  _ farthest  _ away from that you could  _ possibly  _ get! And I didn't  _ visit  _ you cuz I don _ 't want  _ to be sent somewhere else in a last-ditch attempt to get  _ rid  _ of me.” Allura’s eye twitches. 

“Could you at least have given them a  _ chance?  _ I'm sure they weren't  _ that  _ bad.” She can tell that Lance is preparing to protest, so she holds up a finger to cut him off as she continues. “Let me finish.” Her gaze softens as she keeps talking, a sort of quiet pleading filling her gaze as she meets eyes with the cat on the chair opposite her. “Lance, I am  _ not  _ trying to ‘get rid of you’. I'm trying to get you a  _ family _ . A wizard to protect and be protected by, to care for and live with. So you won't  _ have _ to steal stuff and use magic charms as sustenance.” The blue cat looks down, ear twitching as his tail curls around his paws in a vulnerable gesture. Then, he starts glowing, turning into a blob of bright, sky-blue light, which changes form and dims to reveal a tanned boy with messy brown hair and downcast blue eyes, hands tucked in his jacket pockets. He slumps downwards and gives Allura a morose look, brow furrowing. 

“And I  _ want  _ a master like that. I should know. I've  _ had  _ one like that. But the Galra are still  _ after  _ me, Allura.  _ I  _ haven't been stealing or wrecking spells. All I've done is temporarily  _ weaken _ a few to try keep my strength up. I'll leave, if that's what you want, but  _ don't  _ send me somewhere else blindly. I'll  _ find  _ a master, as soon as the Galra are off my tail and I find an actually  _ nice  _ one.” Allura rubs at her temples, grimacing apologetically and sighing again. She looks up and meets the Familiar’s eyes, and begins to speak. 

“Let me try  _ one  _ more person, okay? I can guarantee that you'll be--”  **_Boom._ ** Lance's head jolts upwards and Allura almost falls from her chair as a huge rumble shakes the castle. Lance is on his feet in no time, at the window and peering out as the clear, rippling bubble always protecting the city shatters, raining beautiful yet terrible glitter down on the inhabitants.

“The barrier! Someone took down the wards!” he cries, eyes wide in horror as he gapes at the sight. There are screams and the sounds of chaos erupting from all over the city as people realize what's happened and panic at the sudden lack of protection. Allura tries to stand but stumbles, her face pale as the repercussions of the barrier coming down take their toll on her. She presses a button on her desk, connecting her to Pidge, and issues a set of urgent, rapid-fire commands. 

“Pidge! Find Keith  _ now!  _ You two need to take care of the North and East wards, like I've instructed you to do before!” Her finger is wrested off the button as Lance grabs her arm urgently. 

“Allura! What if it's Galra? It looks like there's a huge beast of some sort outside of the city, you  _ know _ the Galra like creating abominations! Let me go too,  _ please!  _ I'm good at charms and spells! I can help! And - and if it  _ is  _ the Galra, I can draw their attention away.” His voice quietens by the end of his plea, eyes wide and frightened, the cat ears on top of his head flat on his head. Familiars tend to keep the main traits of their favorite form while human, and since Lance's is a cat, he constantly has a long, blue tail and an extra pair of fluffy cat ears. His eyes are also slit-pupiled, and these pupils widen in the moment to create his signature pleading look. Hesitant and worried for Lance's safety, Allura cautiously says yes, but can't get out  _ any _ of her rules before a small, lithe blue cat streaks out the door and leaves her alone in her office. Wearily, Allura presses the button on her desk again.

“Lance will be coming with you four. Keep an eye on him, will you? He isn't a danger by himself, but I fear his presence will attract predators. He can help you set up the wards.” Pidge’s tinny voice yelps an affirmative, and Allura leans back in her chair with her eyes closed.  _ Please _ _ let them all return safe and sound.  _


	2. Two-Faced

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haggar makes her entrance! But did she find them on her own...or is Lance helping her out?

Shiro is being the most frigid Keith has  _ ever  _ seen him be to someone. He almost feels sorry for Lance, who is bearing the brunt of that chilly attitude, before he remembers that Lance deserves it. He has to, since Shiro is the most level headed person Keith has ever met. Currently, Keith is pressed to Shiro’s back, the Familiar in lion form bounding towards their destination: the North ward. Beside Keith and Shiro, Lance is loping along in his own big cat form, a small, sleek blue panther with intricate sky-blue markings patterning his fur. Pidge is on Lance's back, Hunk in falcon form gliding above them and keeping an eye out for danger. 

“You know, I think it's  _ super  _ weird that we haven't seen  _ anything  _ yet. No animals, no enemies, no people,  _ nothing!”  _ the Familiar calls, and Pidge nods. 

“Yeah, it's pretty disconcerting considering that we're a very conspicuous group of wizards and Familiars heading towards the site of a recent attack.” An uncomfortable silence falls at that remark, only broken when Lance suddenly kicks into high gear, racing ahead of Shiro and letting out a loud, elated roar. Pidge shrieks and then starts laughing, amused by the feeling of wind whipping through their hair. Keith grins and urges Shiro to go faster, prompting an annoyed refusal from the strangely grumpy Familiar. Keith frowns down at him. 

_ What's your problem with Lance?! It's not like he's  _ _ done _ _ anything. _ Keith gets a sense of grief and anger from Shiro as he thinks, and when his response comes, his tone is bitter and cold. 

**_You know I was captured by the Galra once. Before you rescued me._ ** Keith nods. 

_ Yeah, that's where you got your magic prosthetic thing.  _

**_Exactly. The leader of the Galra was there, and he was_ ** **_cruel_ ** **_. I believe his name was Lotor, and he and his Familiar did_ ** **_terrible_ ** **_things to the prisoners. That_ ** **_cat_ ** **_was the Familiar. And I never once saw him flinch as he and Lotor tortured everyone there._ ** Keith looks over at Lance, who is racing joyously with Pidge on his back, the wizard standing now and hooting happily. 

_ …Really? He doesn't seem like…the type… _ Keith's thoughts trail off, and he gets a wave of confusion and bitterness from his Familiar. 

**_I know. I'm trying to figure out when, and why, and_ ** **_how_ ** **_he changed. Allura_ ** **_knows_ ** **_him, she_ ** **_likes_ ** **_him. Even though she knows his story. It's…confusing. He's nowhere_ ** **_near_ ** **_the same person as he was in that Galra base._ ** **_That_ ** **_Lance was cold. Cruel. The perfect fit for such a terrible master._ ** Keith frowns at Lance, trying desperately to reconcile what Shiro is saying to this childish, lanky Familiar leaping and running with Pidge, tossing them up and catching them to amuse and distract the worried teenager. He can't, and with a frustrated sigh, Keith turns his attention back to the ground rushing past, losing himself in his thoughts once more. 

.oOo.

By the time everyone makes it to the first ward, Lance has had to swap out with Hunk, being totally worn out from being so rambunctious with his distractions for Pidge. He could  _ smell  _ the anxiety oozing off of them, and could tell that Hunk was getting worked up too, so he had decided to step in and help. Pidge hops off of Hunk, Lance pouting a little as they stop petting him.  _ Aww…I was enjoying that… _ Then, he notices the ward, and his jaw drops in horror. They're standing in front of where the ward  _ used  _ to be, but it's  _ gone.  _ Destroyed. Smashed into rubble and dust. The  _ gargantuan  _ stone structure, hundreds of thousands of years old and never once toppled… _ ruined.  _ Lance grimaces as he stretches, a satisfying  **_pop_ ** occurring somewhere around his haunches. Feeling a little more invigorated, Lance puts on his best determined face and pads forwards on dainty paws to the rubble.

“Can I borrow some of your guys’ magic?” he asks, turning to face Keith and Pidge. Hunk tells him that no, he  _ cannot  _ borrow Pidge’s already-scarce magic, and Shiro is being so bristly and frigid that Lance takes that as a  _ no. Oh, well. I'll just have to use my own magic.  _ “Fine, then. But if I do this, I can  _ not  _ carry  _ anyone,  _ _ anywhere _ _. _ ” Without waiting for a response, Lance sits in front of the rubble and starts drawing in the dirt. He can sense Pidge over his shoulder, peering at the symbols he's drawing and memorizing them.  _ Good. I don't think I'll be able to fix the next ward if it's smashed like this one.  _ Finishing the base for his spell, Lance closes his eyes for a moment. He summons up every last drop of his power, hoping it'll be enough to fix something this big. Them, he slams a paw onto the symbols he's drawn and lets them suck out his energy and use it in the way he has directed with his spell. Slowly,  _ painfully  _ slowly, the pieces of the ward reassemble, blue magic swirling around them and turning back time. The entire process takes about a minute. Lance stands, takes a look at his handiwork, and turns to give his very best cat-grin. “No need to thank me. I'm just  _ that  _ good.” Pidge looks starstruck, in awe at the monolith before them, while Keith is nodding slightly in approval. Shiro’s face is still stony, and Lance flinches, trying not to look at him.  _ Damn. His disapproval is  _ _ way _ _ worse than I thought it would be.  _ It  _ hurts  _ to see such a strong, proud Familiar look at him that way. Lance almost wants to yell at him.  _ Can't you see I'm  _ _ trying _ _?! I want to  _ _ fix _ _ what I've done! I want to be  _ _ good _ _! Why won't you  _ _ see _ _ that?!  _ But Lance says nothing. He just rubs up against Pidge’s leg and winks at Hunk as the wizard bends down to give him a quick congratulatory pet.  _ See?  _ _ Pidge _ _ likes me.  _ _ Hunk _ _ likes me. I'm not that bad anymore, Shiro.  _

Shiro never hears his words. And on the way to the next ward, Lance doesn't see Keith's confused, apologetic glances his way. He's too busy sleeping in Pidge’s lap. 

.oOo.

Pidge gets up slowly, stretching their stiff limbs and trying not to disturb the snoozing blue cat draped over Hunk’s back. Their back makes a series of small popping noises as they arch it, and they frown at that before casting a similar frown at Keith. The older wizard is staring at the ruins of the North ward, and as Pidge watches, he glances at the sleeping Lance and scowls. Pidge walks over to Keith's side, grabbing his arm and commanding his attention. 

“I've got the symbol Lance used memorized. I don't have nearly enough magic to do that kind of spell, but  _ you _ can if you get Shiro to quit siphoning magic off of you.” Keith.nods and turns to Shiro, who is standing in human form next to Hunk, arms folded. It's pretty obvious that he's keeping an eye on Lance. 

_ Shiro. I need to do that spell, since Lance is out.  _ Shiro nods, and Keith immediately starts feeling the slow buildup of his magical energy like a bubble in his chest. He's not letting it out, Shiro isn't siphoning it off like a good Familiar does, so it's piling up on itself in his body. Keith wanders over to where Pidge is busy drawing in the dirt just as the smaller wizard stands up. They clap their hands together to get rid of most of the dust, and the loud noise startles Lance awake. He yawns, stretches languidly, and thanks Hunk for letting him nap before padding over to take a look at the spell drawn in the dirt. 

“Pretty good. But  _ this,  _ right here…” He fixes a line and then sits down, tail wrapping around his paws as he watches Keith get to work. The wizard closes his eyes for a moment, and then tiny, red flames start licking up his body as he summons up his magic for use. Then, he kneels down and slams his palms into the dirt. The lines fill with red light, and glowing crimson magic swirls around the rubble, lifting and reassembling it. By the time he's finished, Keith is panting with the unusual exertion. He's never had to do a magic-sucking sort of spell like  _ this  _ before. Only ever short, easy bursts for attacking, or occasional long, steady drains for his job as a blacksmith. Shiro congratulates him on a job well done in his mind, and Keith grins. Then, a burst of pain that isn't his own has Keith crying out, and suddenly Shiro is far away, skidding on the ground with arcs of residual energy sparking off of him. 

_ Shiro! What the hell?!  _ Shiro is confused as well, waves of uncertainty and pain rolling off of him as he drags himself to his feet. Keith registers a high-pitched, panicked meowing, and his gaze snaps over to where Lance is cowering next to a tall, imposing figure in dark robes. Shiro morphs into his lion form, snarling as he growls in Keith's mind. 

**_Haggar_ ** **_. Keith, back away. Get behind me._ ** Keith complies, terror wracking him at the aura of pure evil and malice emanating from the figure. They speak, a low and dangerous tone grating at Keith's ears. 

“Hello Lance, Shiro. Good to see you again. I owe you some gratitude, Lance for making it so easy to find you again. Your magic signature hasn't changed a  _ bit _ .” Shiro roars furiously anger directed at Lance. 

“You  _ traitor!  _ I should have known!” Lance protests, only getting out the beginning of a confused-sounding sentence before Haggar holds out a hand towards him and his jaw snaps shut of its own accord. The blue cat paws at his jaw in distress, making pathetic mewling sounds as his puffed-up tail flicks behind him in agitation. 

“Shut up, you useless Familiar.” Haggar commands him, and Lance sends Pidge a pleading look. Pidge shakes their head with a terrified, hopeless look in their eyes as they hide behind Hunk, the Familiar in human form shielding his master with his huge, human-sized falcon wings. Haggar grins evilly at Shiro from under her cowl, prompting a warning snarl from the Familiar, before her hand snaps to the side and sends him flying again. 

_ “Shiro!”  _ Keith yells in a panic, trying to move but unable to as Haggar’s focus switches to him. 

“Oh, Shiro, how  _ wonderful.  _ You found a wizard willing to take in your pitiful, broken self. And he's  _ concerned  _ for you. How  _ cute. _ ” Their tone is bitter and biting, and they start murmuring a curse as Shiro struggles to get up again. 

“No! Stop!” he growls desperately, eyes wide as he shudders with damaging, purple magic. Haggar finishes, and although Shiro is running as fast as he can to try help, he's not as fast as the magic racing towards Keith. Keith clenches his eyes shut and cringes, but not before vaguely registering a blue blur coming at him at the same time as the magic. And something hits him,  _ hard,  _ in the chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, the suspense! I TOLD you I like cliffhangers...it's ok. I'll probably post the next chapter tomorrow. I've already written five chapters even though I want to write more of Fixing Fate because I just KEEP GETTING IDEAS FOR THIS!!! XD   
> Thank you so much to everyone who left Kudos, and also to those who commented! I just ADORE getting those notification emails about comments and Kudos. :)   
> Feel free to tell me about mistakes, hm? I'm writing this on my phone and my big fat clumsy thumbs (as well as a very odd autocorrect) make it easy to have weird spelling mistakes.  
> And I am always open to cnstructive criticism about my writing! ;)


	3. The Truth and All It Entails

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out some backstory to Keith, Shiro and Lance! But with the grudge Shiro is holding, will Lance have anyone to save him when he's kidnapped?

Lance feels woozy. His head is spinning, it's hard to breathe, and _everything_ hurts. He just barely registers that he's lying on top of something, and that said something is calling his name in a concerned, panicky voice.

“...ance! Lance! Shiro, what the hell was that?! What did Haggar do?!” Lance groans and shudders, shaking off the leftover magic sparking on his fur. He slowly gets up, and falls right over again as he stumbles out of Keith's lap onto the ground. Keith gets up as soon as the cat is off of him, watching Haggar with a wary eye as the Galra wizard cackles. Shiro answers Keith's question in his mind as Lance slowly picks himself up.

 **_That was a magic draining spell. For a wizard, it can result in paralyzation and sickness if it steals too much. For a Familiar…I've seen some_ ** **_die_ ** **_from that._ ** Keith glances down at Lance to find the cat staring back at him, striking blue eyes fixed on Keith's as he rasps,

“You okay?” Keith falters, confused.

“Shouldn't _I_ be the one asking _you_ that?!” In Keith's moment of distraction, Shiro arrives at his side again. He gives Lance a _very_ confused look and the Familiar stares back balefully.

“Yeah. Haggar hates me just as much as y--” Lance is cut off abruptly as Haggar wraps him in coils of purple magic and drags him to her side. She shouts a series of words in a language Keith doesn't recognize, and a symbol appears on Lance's forehead. He shrieks, clawing at the mark. It glows purple, and everyone present watches in horror as the cruel magic forces Lance into his human shape against his will. Keith can _feel_ Shiro’s disgust at the _supremely_ rude and painful spell, and as he glances at Hunk he can see the usually calm Familiar boiling with rage. Haggar is _despicable_. But after the sickly, violet-tainted light fades from around Lance, all Keith gets from Shiro, and all Keith can muster up himself, is shock.

**_What…?_ **

_I…don't understand. I thought you said he was bad?!_

**_I thought he was. But I suppose…people can change. And Lance did the biggest 180 I've ever seen._ **

Keith can't help but stare as the sight of a familiar tanned boy sends him down memory lane to a place he doesn't usually like to visit.

_“Paladins, hurry! Pidge, are you done hacking into the cell doors?” Pidge shrieks a frantic negative, explaining in a panic how every door has a different access code from the desk._

_“Someone will have to input them, or use an accepted magic signature to open them!” Keith swears as he dashes down the hall, telling Pidge and Allura that he'll just burn the panels til the cells open. Without a Familiar, Keith's magic is raring to get out anyways. But when he rounds the corner, he's shocked to find all the doors already open. Prisoners of the Galra base are streaming out, a tall, thin boy with tanned skin and a Galra uniform directing them all out through the nearest door. The boy glances at Keith, piercing blue eyes meeting his with panic in them for just a second before he points to the cell closest to Keith._

_“A Familiar. Passed out. You'll need to carry him.” Keith dashes into the cell, picking up with quite some effort the man inside. He takes quick note of the pure white forelock and the many scars littering his skin, and then the boy is rushing in to help Keith carry the heavy Familiar. He helps Keith until they reach the exit. Then, he disappears without warning, vanishing into the crowd and letting Keith and the unconscious Familiar be swept away with the rest of the escapees._

Keith snaps back to reality as Shiro roars, alerting Keith to the situation. Haggar has opened a portal, and with a hand wrapped around Lance's throat, she is attempting to escape despite the Familiar in her grasp digging his heels in and squirming. Lance's frantic, wide eyes meet Keith's, and a sense of dèja-vu washes over Keith as that same intense blue bores holes in Keith. Then, a thin tendril of blue magic sparks to life between them.

 **_Sorry,_ ** a voice that's not Shiro’s whispers in his mind, and then Haggar disappears, Lance vanishing with her. No warning, just the sudden absence of a Familiar where before, Keith had felt some sort of a connection.

 _Whoa. Dèja-vu. Again._ Keith thinks, swaying where he stands in the sudden silence. As adrenaline drains from his body, Keith realizes just how exhausted he is. As he sits down involuntarily (his legs just kind of stopped working), he processes everything that's just happened. _That was Lance. I've seen him before, I've shown you…_ Keith trails off. A large black lion sits next to him and starts gently cleaning him off with a raspy tongue.

 **_That was certainly unexpected. I have no idea how Lance has changed so much in only a couple years._ ** Both Shiro and Keith jump as a third voice joins in their mental conversation, sounding tired and sad.

 **_Because what I was back then - that cruel bastard - wasn't me. Lotor had a spell controlling my mind, my body. I still remember everything I did, though…I'm sorry. I was horrible._ ** Keith blinks, realizing what that spark of blue energy had been.

 _Whoa whoa whoa. You made a Familiar bond with me without my permission?!_ He yelps, and Shiro gives off a clear aura of disapproval.

 **_Hey. I apologized when I did it. I just…I don't want to go back there. Please,_ ** **help** **_me. I don't want to be Lotor’s puppet again…_ ** Keith hesitates, but then recalls the first time he met Lance. The first time he met _Shiro_.

_We're coming as fast as we can._

Shiro doesn't protest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! Woot woot! I am SUPER pumped with all the positive reviews on this! Thank you all! I hope you all enjoy this chappie, and since this one's pretty short, I might post another immediately. ;)


	4. Firestorm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance's Familiar link can transmit feelings as well, and as Haggar attempts to 'persuade' Lance to join the Galra, Keith and Shiro are affected negatively. But if Lance stops the connection, the consequences may be even more dire...

Keith winces as a shockwave of pain erupts in his mind, and he can feel Shiro flinch under him, faltering a little as he races towards the Galra base Pidge has searched up for them. It's the  _ main  _ Galra base, where Lotor stays, and no doubt where Lance is being kept - and tortured. Keith almost cries out as he feels Lance's pain through the link the Familiar made in a last-ditch effort to get help. He can also feel Lance's emotions, secondhand disgust and anger and fear all swirling around in Keith's mind and mingling with his own emotions. But there's also something Keith can't quite put his finger on. A slight sensation that's only ever on the very edge of his consciousness, that flits away and vanishes every time Keith tries to pin it down. Whatever it is, Shiro hasn't noticed anything like it, and Keith just appreciates that the mysterious feeling seems to be helping him control his magic. No longer is there an unsteady, roiling presence in his mind ready to lash out as soon as he lets his guard down or Shiro stops stealing energy from it. Now there's just a subdued ball of magma, still shifting and boiling, but not as angry and volatile as before. 

.oOo.

Lance curls up in his cell, cursing Haggar and trying to get rid of the damned symbol on his forehead with dull, clipped nails. Of  _ course  _ Haggar would remember to take away his best defense as long as she's trapping him in human form.  _ Which,  _ by the way, is  _ highly  _ uncomfortable for Lance. He's never liked staying in human form for too long because it drains his magic and makes him more vulnerable as his senses dull. He jumps as Keith's voice sounds in his head, concerned and tired. 

_ How are you doing?  _ Lance groans. 

**_Right. I'd forgotten I made a connection._ ** He pauses, thinking back to the ‘persuasion tactics’ Haggar has been using on him in order to get him to agree to be Lotor’s Familiar. Lance winces.  **_Shit. Sorry. You two had to feel all of that, didn't you._ ** Neither of the people sharing the link with him say anything, but Lance knows by the discomfort he's sensing that they did indeed. Shiro’s presence disappears for a moment, the Familiar preoccupied with something else, and Lance gets a quick flicker of a scene from Keith's mind. It's nighttime, under a vast expanse of stars, and Keith is sitting on the ground next to Shiro, in front of a roaring fire. Lance smiles a little, appreciating the calm scene in contrast to his own situation. Then, the door to his cell hisses open and he has to force the link closed as far as it will go without snapping. 

.oOo.

Keith sleeps restlessly, Shiro’s disturbing nightmares plaguing his mind as the exhausted Familiar tosses and turns. He and Hunk have been running almost nonstop to make it to the Galra base as fast as possible. That being said, it has still been an entire day since Lance was taken. And Keith has had to live through an entire day of Lance's stubborn refusals to be Lotor’s Familiar - and the subsequent punishments. Eyes snapping open as an image of an emaciated, broken Familiar lying like a ragdoll on a barren cell floor flashes in his mind's eye, Keith stares at the night sky. Slowly so as not to wake Shiro, he sends the lion his own happy memories, images of him and Shiro cuddling, of hanging out with Pidge, of staring at the stars. Gradually, Shiro calms, nightmares turning to nothing. But Keith still can't get to sleep. He looks for Lance's presence and finds only a closed-off link, forced shut by the guilty Familiar as he tries to keep Lance and Shiro from feeling what he is at the moment. Keith lies where he is as the sky above him lightens, stars disappearing as the greedy sun demands all the attention and drowns them out with its own light. Soon, Shiro will wake up, his inner alarm clock going off as it always does at the crack of dawn. And he'll assume Keith is asleep and close the link so his alertness won't bother Keith - and Keith's sleep won't lull Shiro. Sure enough, Shiro yawns, exposing huge, sharp canines, and gets up slowly to stretch without bothering Keith. Keith gets up as well, getting a surprised look from the huge black lion next to him. Keith reaches over and scratches Shiro’s head, grinning as the oversize cat purrs for a moment. Then, the sound cuts off with a sense of indignance. 

**_I'm not a normal cat. Quit that._ ** Keith chuckles, and Shiro’s ear flicks as the lion glares at him with derisive gray eyes.  **_Brat,_ ** he chastises Keith, humour colouring his tone. 

_ Old prude,  _ Keith shoots back. The moment is ruined all of a sudden as Pidge shrieks from a few feet away. 

_“ACK!_ _Hunk,_ get your stupid bird face outta my personal space!” The falcon laughs, hopping off of Pidge as the disgruntled wizard catches their breath. _“How_ many times have I _told_ you?! Don't wake me up like that!” they complain. Hunk just laughs again and ignores them in favour of addressing Keith. 

“What's for breakfast?” Keith raises an eyebrow. He is  _ never  _ going to get used to seeing a bird talk. It looks somewhat normal on cats, but a bird…birds just don't have the right kind of mouth to speak English so clearly. And it looks  _ weird.  _

“Uhh…whatever we catch? We didn't exactly pack like we were gonna be staying away from Altea for so long.” Pidge groans, and both Familiars laugh. Shiro stretches, muscles rippling under his glossy black coat, and then tells Hunk to come hunt with him. 

**_We'll be back soon. Behave._ ** Keith rolls his eyes, and Pidge has a similar reaction as Hunk no doubt tells them to behave as well. 

With both Familiars gone, Pidge and Keith can either chat with each other, or find something to amuse themselves with individually. Of course, since their friendship is mostly based on silent companionship and wordless trust, Pidge is expecting the second option. They conjure up a screen in front of them and get to work debugging a charm they started making a little while ago (its purpose is to effortlessly hack into whatever Pidge wants it to), but are pleasantly surprised when Keith sits next to them and starts chatting. 

“So, uh…how's your shop doing?” Pidge raises an eyebrow at the  _ incredibly _ awkward conversation starter, but doesn't comment on it and instead responds amicably while prodding away at the different components of their charm. 

“It's good. Not too many people wanna buy spells and stuff from a ‘kid’. But there're a few regulars who know I'm good at what I do and they spread the news best they can.” Pidge shrugs. Then, they grin at Keith smugly. “Besides. Rare spells like long-lasting healing orbs and tech magic? I can boost the prices as high as I want. That's the glory of using a haggling system.” They wink, and Keith shakes his head and chuckles. 

“You evil little gnome.” Pidge gives him their best gnome face, scrunching up their features and pulling on their ears to make them look bigger. In their amazingly accurate, nasally gnome voice, they respond with a joking, 

“Well,  _ this  _ gnome’s gonna curse your ass!” An amused voice in Keith's head comments, 

**_Tell them to watch their language. Hunk may excuse them, but I can still hear them through you, and I don't appreciate it._ ** Keith laughs and relays the message to Pidge, who makes a big show of sticking their tongue out and going back to their charm. 

“How's  _ your  _ job going? Still the best blacksmith in the northeast?” Keith laughs. 

“You say that like there's a  _ better  _ one anywhere else!” He pauses, calming down a little before answering. “But it's going good. I'm still the fastest at making stuff since I don't need to go back and forth between the forge and my station, but it  _ does _ use a lot of magic, and I have a bad habit of scalding myself even  _ with  _ my crazy heat tolerance.” Pidge groans. 

“Of  _ course  _ you still manage to burn yourself with the ability to  _ literally  _ walk through fire. You wouldn't be Keith Kogane, Supreme Masochist otherwise.” This sparks an indignant response, Keith sitting up straighter and yelping, 

“Hey! I am  _ not  _ a masochist!” complete with an embarrassing voice crack. Pidge just cackles and keeps working. As the sun rises higher and the Familiars return with some small game, Pidge finishes their work with a satisfied clap and joins Keith as the wizard skins and cooks a rabbit. Both Familiars assume their human forms and help, gathering firewood and starting a kindling pile so Keith can start up the fire. They eat a pretty good breakfast, relax for a bit to digest, and then both Familiars become horses (Pidge comments:  _ “Much  _ better for riding, why didn't we think of this yesterday?!”) and the group sets off. Keith has to admit, he's worried at the lack of activity from Lance, but as long as he's not getting secondhand bursts of pain, he supposes the Familiar must be  _ somewhat  _ alright. 

.oOo.

_ Lance, hang in there. Only a couple more hours and we'll be there.  _ Keith winces as Lance rolls over, giving himself, Keith  _ and  _ Shiro a bolt of pain across their ribs. 

**_Yeah, I'll be fine. But you…you guys won't be. You have to put up with what I'm feeling, and there’re so many guards, and Haggar isn't leaving. I'm sorry I got you into this. You don't_** **have** ** _to come._** The horse beneath Keith snorts derisively at that, and Shiro chastises Lance. 

**_Of_** **_course_** ** _we're coming to get you. You've helped us, and I think we all agree that we like you. Besides. Allura seems to like you quite a bit, and she'll skin me alive if I don't at least_** ** _try_** ** _get you back._** There's a shocked silence from Lance after these words, and then a wave of gratitude. 

**_…Thank you. I'm glad you don't hate me anymore._** Keith smiles a little, glad that the two are getting along. There's a short, amicable silence, and then Lance chuckles softly in his head. **_Here comes Bitch-Witch. Sorry guys._** Keith assumes that Lance is apologizing for the pain to come, but instead gets another brief, quiet apology from Lance before there's a horrible wrenching feeling in his gut, and an empty void in his mind where he's gotten used to feeling a slight presence. 

_ Lance?  _ _ Lance _ _?! What the hell?!  _ Keith swears, searching for Lance in his mind. But the calming presence that had been subduing his magic for the past day, the boy that he'd grown to like, is nowhere to be found. And as Keith's emotions spiral out of control and he panics at the feeling of being left behind again, his magic responds. But now, there's nothing keeping it in check. And Shiro canters to a halt just as Keith shrieks that he’s  _ burning  _ and he slips off Shiro’s back onto the ground. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm including some extra descriptive magic scenes in this and next chapter, since I've gotten a request to flesh out just how magic works. Once everything calms down, I'll be doing some more backstory and bonding (Hahaha, Keith is triggered!). And maybe I'll get to explain my magical world a little more!


	5. Lost Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group is getting close to saving Lance, even if Lance has apparently given up. But Haggar knows they're coming, and everyone knows she's not letting Lance go that easily...

Lance shivers at the feeling of the link shattering.  _ It's okay,  _ he reminds himself.  _ Keith is still okay. Maybe he's even still coming. You  _ _ had _ _ to break it, for his own good.  _ His mind drifts off after that, too tired to focus on one train of thought for too long.  _ Bitch-Witch is  _ _ pissed _ _ ,  _ he thinks vaguely, smirking as the Galra shrieks in anger at her unresponsive prisoner.  _ It's too bad for her I can't feel much anymore. She overdid it. Too hasty.  _ And then he's drifting again. 

.oOo.

Hunk leans over Keith, frowning at the wizard’s temperature. He scoops some of the herbal paste Pidge has made onto a finger and draws a symbol on Keith's forehead. Keith's nose wrinkles and he lets out a quiet groan. Shiro pets his head gently, frowning in worry and reassuring him silently. Keith's responses are garbled and nonsensical, but Shiro continues to talk to him nonetheless. 

**_Shhh, it'll be okay. Hunk and Pidge are helping._ ** Keith mumbles something, and the only word Shiro can make out is ‘Lance’. He winces slightly.  _ Keith really grew attached to him, didn't he.  _ Shiro cards his fingers through Keith's hair in a somewhat maternal gesture. He loves this boy, this hotheaded, socially awkward teenager with such powerful magic. And he tries his absolute best to help him control his wild magic. But it's never enough, is it? Wind magic riles up fire magic like feeding a fire more air. With Lance added to the mix, there had finally been a conflicting magic type to cool down Keith's fire. There had been another Familiar to help Shiro drain off excess magic.  _ As much as I may be loath to admit it because of my own damn grudge…Lance was a good thing for Keith. We  _ _ need _ _ to get him back.  _ He tells Keith as much, and amongst the feverish chaos of images and emotions and slurred words, Shiro gets a clear sense of contentedness. Keith thinks Lance is a good thing, too. 

.oOo.

It took a good couple of hours, but with Pidge’s spells and both Pidge’s and Hunk’s minor healing expertise, Keith is returned to normal. Shiro immediately feels the weight of keeping track of Keith's magic levels settle onto his shoulders. He never really realized just how much he had to do every day to keep Keith from burning up like their most recent experience. Not until Lance took a large chunk of that burden off and gave Shiro a break for the first time in  _ years _ . Keith is distracted and no fun to talk to at the moment, so Shiro is alone with his thoughts for the remainder of their trip. 

Once they get close enough to the base to be able to see it and plan without being seen themselves, the group of four gets planning. Unlike whatever Keith thinks, barging in ‘blazing’ is  _ not  _ the best thing to do. 

“I can sneak in a vent or something and do some scouting before anyone else enters.” Pidge suggests, making a little earpiece with their magic. Hunk stops them before they can get anything else out. 

“No  _ way.  _ If  _ anyone's _ going in beforehand, it'll be a Familiar. We're better suited for scouting since we can take on whatever form we want. And  _ we  _ have  _ stellar  _ magic control  _ unlike  _ the both of you.” Keith grunts indignantly at the thinly concealed jab at his magical prowess, but Shiro continues on Hunk’s train of thought without hesitation. 

“And no matter  _ what  _ form we take, we'll have a better nose. Much more useful for scenting out a single Familiar in a huge facility. Matter of fact,  _ I  _ will go in. Hunk needs to stay with Pidge so they have more offensive magic to depend on rather than their limited defense.” Hunk nods his agreement, and Pidge shrugs. 

“I figured I'd be more of a hack-and-stay-back fighter here. I can open doors and stuff like every time. Not that I particularly  _ enjoy  _ being left behind every time…” They trail off, muttering bitterly under their breath. Keith gives them a sympathetic look. Pidge is a very  _ enthusiastic  _ person, and they'll gladly fight anyone who crosses them even if said person is twice their size. They've got the same amount of anger and sarcasm as a normal-sized person, it's just compressed into a smaller body. 

Once Shiro has turned into a small, black lizard and scampered away, Pidge opens up a screen and employs their newest charm in order to hack into the Galra tech and keep in touch with Shiro. 

“Shiro? Can you hear me okay?” Shiro gives them a slightly winded affirmative, having just squeezed through the slats of an outdoor vent opening. 

“Yes, I can hear you. Which direction should I go to get to the cells?” Pidge rattles off a series of instructions, and Shiro complies, the soft sounds of little lizard feet on metal echoing through Pidge’s earpiece. They lean forwards and tap the screen in front of them a bit more, oblivious of Keith watching over their shoulder in interest. Eventually, as Pidge and Shiro keep talking in code to each other (it’s only code to Keith, who has never been very interested in technology jargon), Keith gets bored and wanders off, sitting down and toying with some fire to occupy his mind and keep from getting too anxious. 

**_Why don’t you practice controlling it. It might be useful to be able to tame fire if you’re going to be hanging out with a water-type Familiar._ ** Keith agrees with Shiro silently and the Familiar gets distant again as he concentrates on finding Lance. Pidge sounds confused, obviously having run into some difficulties, but Keith ignores that in favour of setting fire to blades of grass and focusing until they don’t burn. It’s difficult, but meditative, and Keith sinks into the unique feeling of using his magic. The fire at the tip of his finger coils around a bright green blade of grass, and as it does, the roiling pit of magma that is Keith’s store of magic drains a little. Keith shapes it into a sphere, confining the magic and letting it seep out only slightly in order to get just the tiniest of wisps of fire. He’s warm, and focused, and he can feel his magic branching out from its pool to go all over his body, like a second set of veins. Bringing life force from him, to the air, and the earth. It radiates, and as it does Keith revels in its primal simplicity. He doesn’t realize that he’s lost focus on the fire in his hand until he opens his eyes, and he’s sitting in the middle of a scorched circle with tiny flames licking at his wrists, spread over his hands like gloves. It tickles, and Keith lets out a little giggle at the feeling before patting the flames out. 

_ How are you doing, Shiro? _ he asks, and Shiro gives him the mental equivalent of a shrug.

**_They’ve remodelled. Pidge can’t find the cell blocks. Oh, wait - I think I’ve found Haggar’s rooms. Be prepared to_ **

Keith starts, brow creasing in confusion. 

_ Shiro? You stopped mid-sentence. What’s wrong?  _ Nothing.  _ Uh...Shiro? Shiro?!  _ Keith isn’t the only one panicking, Pidge tapping at their screen frantically as they try to regain communication with the Familiar. 

“Something in Haggar’s rooms has blocked out all my signals! Keith, can you hear him still?” Keith shakes his head as he rushes over, breath rate increasing as he joins Pidge in front of the screen.

“No! What’s going on?! How is this possible?” Pidge groans.

“I have no idea! I think we’ll have to go in and find him. Lance definitely isn’t in that section, if he had a link going on with you until just a bit ago.” Keith nods, swallowing thickly as Pidge stands, dismissing their screen with a wave of their hand. They give Keith a tense smile and crack a joke.

“Guess we’ve got no choice. Let’s go.  _ Blazing _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh! Shiro disappeared! Don't worry, this isn't Voltron spoilers. That comes later. X'D   
> Next chapter is already written! I'll try post it tomorrow. I really should focus on writing ALL my stories, not just this one...but this one is so fun to write! I have biiig plans for this story! It's not ending anytime soon!   
> Feedback is always appreciated! :)


	6. Dèja-Vu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge and Hunk find Lance, and Keith goes looking for Shiro. When Keith arrives and finds Lance, he's still without his Familiar, and Lance isn't acting quite right. And where did Pidge and Hunk go?

They manage to sneak into the base without a hitch, and their secrecy lasts a good five minutes (a new record!) before a Galran guard runs smack-dab into Pidge as they both round a corner. A frantic swing of Pidge’s stun-blade slash grappling hook, and the guard is down, clutching at his throat as it spurts blood. Pidge dodges out of the splash zone and they keep walking, only for an alarm to sound. Pidge gasps. 

“They must have activators on their person! He still got to it!” Keith nods. 

“I got that. Now  _ run,  _ we need to get out before mages get involved.”  _ Lackeys _ they can take out. The actual Galra, a group of powerful wizards, not so much. Hunk runs ahead of them in lion form, mauling and biting anyone in their way as the group races to get Shiro and then Lance. “I think…we'll need to…split up. To get it done…faster.” Keith says between heavy breaths as he runs. Hunk gives him a concerned look from Pidge’s other side. 

“That means you'll be on your own until you find Shiro.” Keith nods. 

“I'll be…fine. Go…get Lance.” Pidge nods their affirmative and swerves to the right at the next intersection. Keith opens the floodgates on his magic, feeling the fire race through his body in an invigorating torrent. He grins, rejoicing in the feeling of letting loose for a good fight. There's lava in his veins, fire licking at his entire body, and he's never felt more alive. 

.oOo.

Shiro can  _ feel _ Keith letting his magic loose. Familiar bond blocked or not, he can sense in his gut when he's no longer able to siphon off magic as Keith draws all of it into himself. There's no longer a thread of magic acting like a sort of straw for Shiro to suck excess from. Shiro smirks a little.  _ What a fireball. Figuratively  _ _ and _ _ literally.  _ Then, he keeps heading in the direction Pidge told him to go, blissfully unaware that the voice in his ear is no longer his friend’s. 

.oOo.

Pidge and Hunk find Lance easily.  _ Too  _ easily. He's still in human form, and when they stumble across him, he's standing facing a window in a large, empty room. 

“Lance! I--” Pidge starts, then stops, staring at him dubiously. “...Lance?” The Familiar’s sensitive cat ears have lifted, and he has obviously noticed that they're in the room with him. He speaks quietly into the tense, confused silence. 

“I really thought Keith would be the one to find me. Oh, well.” Pidge gives Hunk a significant look, and they slowly start backing away. Drawing on the magic Hunk saves up to give them, Pidge reforms their weapon from earlier, and Hunk remains in lion form, claws out. Something feels terribly  _ off  _ about this situation, and both of them can sense it. Their suspicions are confirmed when Lance turns around. His eyes aren't warm, ocean-blue pools anymore. They are icy and disdainful, and Lance's grin isn't one of greeting but of smug superiority. “We'll take care of you two first, and then I can use you as an excuse to get past Shiro’s guard.” And before the wizard  _ or  _ the Familiar can react, water laced with crackling violet energy sweeps them off their feet. 

.oOo.

Keith almost shouts in relief when he finds Lance. He's had no luck whatsoever in finding Shiro, no amount of wandering revealing clues as to where his Familiar went, so finding  _ someone  _ to help him out is a blessing. Keith is exhausted from fighting and searching, and he almost doesn't notice the odd quality of the water dripping off the walls as he rushes to see why Lance is kneeling on the floor. But he  _ does  _ notice, brow creasing at the subtle sparks of purple Galran magic infiltrating Lance's element. And once he actually pauses to look around, he sees the evidence of a fight. On edge, Keith is already wary of Lance before the boy even speaks. 

“Keith. I'm glad you're here! You gotta help me! Haggar…Pidge and Hunk got here but Haggar confronted them. I tried to help but…” Lance turns around, and there's blood on him, dripping from his nose and a couple deep gashes in his shoulder. Keith grunts skeptically, fire subtly gathering on the tips of his fingers.  _ This isn't Lance. Or at least, not his mind. This is the Lance  _ _ Shiro _ _ knew.  _ Keith meets Lance's eyes, a smoldering glare boring into freezing, empty pools. Lance's fake devastated look fades into a smirk. “Too smart for that, hm. I knew we shouldn't underestimate you. It's good that Shiro isn't here. He'd already have ripped my throat out.  _ What  _ a grudge, for someone so calm.” There's a beat of silence, a brief moment where the silence builds to a crescendo before both boys attack at the same time. And if Keith letting loose is a raging wildfire, then Lance is a tsunami. 

.oOo.

Pidge bangs at the door holding them away from Keith, shouting uselessly and begging their hacking charm to work  _ faster, damnit.  _ They  _ need  _ to open that door and help their friend. They glance at Hunk worriedly before turning their attention back to the battle outside. Hunk hasn't woken up yet. He's bedraggled and soaking, having reverted to falcon form upon falling unconscious. Pidge shrieks hoarsely, crying now but not caring, eyes trained unerringly on Keith as he's shoved back again. Keith's magic is strong, but Lance is feeding off of someone else's, and the two combined have made him untiring and powerful. Movement by the doorway makes Pidge glance over, and they sob in relief.  _ Shiro.  _ The lion snarls angrily and joins in the fray immediately, bowling Lance over and causing a cascade of water to puddle on the floor as Lance's concentration is broken. Pidge can't hear a thing through the heavy door, but they can watch it all unfold. And watch they do, cradling Hunk’s soggy form and staring in rapt attention as Shiro saves Keith in battle once again. 

.oOo.

Keith slumps against the wall, breathing harsh and laboured, sore  _ absolutely everywhere.  _ He doesn't have the energy nor the will to tell Shiro to stop. If Lance was weak enough to give in to Haggar, perhaps he deserves a bit of roughing up. 

Shiro’s claws dig into Lance's arms as the lion pins the other Familiar, inhibiting any movement and rendering Lance's magic useless. Without movement or symbols, lines, to guide the flow of magic, nothing can happen. No spell can be cast. Nothing can be manipulated to fight with. 

“You. Lotor, Haggar, I don't care. Leave Lance be. Fight me  _ yourself.  _ Unless you're too  _ weak  _ to challenge me?” Shiro goads, hoping beyond reason that this will work. Lance lets out a strangled gasp, sounding like there's fluid in his airway, and his eyes melt, whatever mind control had been cast on him fading as he struggles against it. Shiro can see the battle happen in Lance's eyes. He wins, at least for the moment, and stares up at Shiro for a long moment with wide eyes. Then, he shudders, getting out a small, 

“I'm so sorry,” before his eyes roll up in his head and he goes limp. He's  _ exhausted _ , and Shiro growls angrily at that. Lotor, if course, wouldn't care about the health of his Familiar, but letting him get so tired he  _ passes out  _ is  _ extremely dangerous.  _ Shiro pads over to Keith and nudges him, purring softly as  _ he _ lends  _ Keith _ magic for once. Just enough to get the wizard back on his feet. Shiro will need the rest to get everyone out safely. 

“That's…that's the Lance  _ you  _ knew, huh.” Keith says quietly, and Shiro nods. He leaves Keith to recuperate and opens the door to let Pidge out. They race past Shiro, still holding Hunk close, and skid to a stop next to Keith in a panic. 

“Keith! Are you alright?!” Keith nods. 

“How about you?” Pidge brushes his question off. 

“I'll be fine. Hunk’s in bad shape though. We  _ need  _ to  _ leave. Now. _ ” Shiro agrees with them, signalling to Keith to get on his back before reinforcements - or Lotor and Haggar - arrive to get rid of them all. But Keith isn't coming right away. He stumbles over to the unconscious blue cat and scoops him up before complying, getting onto Shiro’s back with the cat held to his chest much like how Pidge is holding Hunk. Pidge clambers onto Shiro’s back behind Keith, and despite carrying such a heavy load, Shiro runs as fast as he can towards the exit. He was fooled by that earpiece trick for  _ far _ too long. He's not letting his team down again. 

.oOo.

By the time they make it out of the base, Shiro is just as exhausted as everyone else, panting with flagging energy and various minor injuries from encounters on the way out. Keith has fallen asleep, slumping forwards onto Lance. Pidge is stroking Hunk’s wings gently, smiling softly down at him as their head nods sleepily until they're asleep as well, face pressed against Keith's back. Shiro slows to a walk when he feels safe, continues walking for a good while, and then has to stop as his legs - especially the special, magic prosthetic on his front right one - start buckling. That prosthetic, while being a miracle able to change forms with him to whatever he wants, is also just another hunk of fancy metal, and it doesn't have the same durability as his own limbs. He feels guilty when he has to dump all the people on his back onto the ground unceremoniously, but it turns to incredulity as none of them so much as  _ twitch _ . Shiro tries to stay awake so he can keep watch, but he's fighting a losing battle, and all his efforts are futile as he drifts off. 

.oOo.

Keith's eyes open slowly, reluctantly, and he has to rub at them for a while before he can open them fully and not have blurry vision. He's still a little bleary, and when he smells roasting meat, he thinks he's still dreaming for a bit. Then his brain catches up to his eyes and he realizes that someone has indeed gone out and gotten game, started a fire, and begun cooking. Said person is Lance, looking pretty beaten-up and tired, but humming a jaunty tune under his breath nonetheless. Keith wanders over to the tiny fire Lance has managed to scrape up, nodding hello when Lance looks up. Lance’s eyes linger on Keith's face for a beat longer than necessary, and his eyes are sad and apologetic. He looks back down at the fire without any sort of acknowledgement that he heard Keith's greeting. Keith sits down next to Lance and pokes at the sticks fueling the fire with a bare finger, flame-proof fingerless gloves shrugging off the curious fingers of flame just as easily as Keith's magically enhanced skin. Lance stares, eyes curious and admiring as he watched Keith literally play with fire as if it were nothing. For Keith, he supposes it  _ is  _ nothing. Lance tears his eyes away to focus on cooking whatever meal it is right now, and as he sets aside the last of the meat, Keith speaks. Quietly, so much so that Lance almost doesn't hear him over the breeze rustling the grass and the crackling of the fire, he mutters, 

“We don't blame you, so don't be guilty.” Lance pauses, takes a breath in preparation for speaking - and lets it whoosh out as he discovers that he has nothing to say to that. Lance and Keith wake everyone up, and they all pounce on the food like starving animals. Lance grins and chuckles. Yesterday was grueling for everyone. 

Once they've all finished, Lance gives everyone a sheepish smile and thanks them awkwardly for rescuing him. Pidge rolls their eyes. 

“Idiot, you don't hafta  _ thank  _ us. We're basically the reason you got caught in the first place.” Lance frowns but doesn't argue, knowing better than to start anything with Pidge. Hunk gives Lance a full-mouthed smile, and Shiro nods to Lance in acceptance of the thanks. It's not exactly a  _ warm  _ gesture, but it's comforting nonetheless. And as Lance looks over to Keith, he's shocked to see a small smile on the usually surly boy’s face. Lance has to look away, and he's not sure whether surprise or something else spurs his heart to stutter for a beat or two. Or maybe he  _ is  _ sure, and he just doesn't want to admit it. Whichever it is, he hopes Keith will let him be his Familiar again, officially this time. He’s ready to settle down after almost two years of wandering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Less of a cliffhanger than usual! Woohoo! Be prepared for lots of flangst coming up! No more action for a while though. (:  
> Thank you so much to everyone who left Kudos and comments! I will continue to do my best to respond to everyone's comments even if my phone enjoys randomly logging me out and glitching the website...I swear it's possessed. But exorcisms aren't working, and holy water won't help. (Hahaha, I watch Supernatural...can you tell?)


	7. Going Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance has a new home. Prepare for fluff!

“You wish to be  _ Keith’s  _ Familiar? I thought you two didn’t get along…?” Allura raises an eyebrow at Lance, who gives her a big, cattish grin. 

“We  _ don’t _ get along. Not when he’ being a jerk. But when he’s not, we’re chill. ‘Sides, he and Shiro need my help. Shiro’s at his limit and Keith’s magic is still untamed. Based on what happened after I broke the bond last time, I can help a  _ lot _ .” Allura gives him a soft smile.

“Well. I can no doubt rest assured that you’ll leave if it doesn’t work out. I’m glad you’re giving them a chance. As long as Keith agrees, feel free to join him and Shiro.” Lance grins happily at Allura and winks.

“They can’t resist my charms.” And a small blue cat pads from the room, tail crooked jauntily as it purrs loudly and disappears down the hallway.

.oOo.

Keith feels the difference in his magic as soon as Lance makes a Familiar link, the roiling lava at his core calming down as Lance’s quiet presence tames it. As Lance starts yammering, firing off questions about Keith’s apartment and lifestyle, Keith amends that thought. Lance’s presence is  _ not  _ quiet. Shiro’s is though, an amused silence on one side of Keith’s mind. Lance fires off some more questions, and Keith brushes him off tiredly, promising to talk later after he’s taken a good nap. They’ve been traveling for almost half a day, and since Keith decided to give Shiro a break and walk, Keith is extra tired. Shiro is tired as well, and Keith can sense him planning to take a nap with Keith (vague images and feelings of curling up as a lion on Keith’s bed floating occasionally through Keith’s own mind). However, to Keith’s drowsy incredulity, Lance isn’t tired in the least. 

_ How is he so  _ _ peppy _ _?!  _ Keith groans in his mind, tuning out Lance’s ramblings and ignoring the cat as it rubs against his leg in an attempt to regain his attention.

**_I don’t know. But maybe if he comes to live with us, he’ll help you get up at a decent time in the morning._ ** Shiro responds, humour colouring his mental tone as the black cat on Keith’s other side laughs softly. Lance quiets down, seeming a little put out, but says nothing else and instead falls into step behind Keith.

About twenty minutes later, they make it to Keith’s and Shiro’s apartment, a sparsely furnished, good-sized place where Shiro can feel free to take on his preferred form. Lance peeks around Keith’s legs, curious, as he opens the door, and waits politely outside as Keith and Shiro enter first. Lance walks in, nudging the door shut behind him, and his nose crinkles immediately. He lets out a loud noise of disgust and paws at his nose. When Keith and Shiro give him questioning looks, Lance pauses in his groaning and gives them a frown.

“Seriously?! You can’t smell it?! It’s strong enough that even  _ Keith  _ should be able to!” Shiro looks sheepish, while Keith just frowns in confusion.

“Ah, I guess I’ve grown accustomed to the stench. I apologize for not cleaning it up. I’m so busy keeping Keith’s magic in check I have no time nor energy.” Keith is staring at both Familiars with an utterly confused look, making small confused noises. Lance laughs.

“Okay. Whatever, Shiro. If you two’re ready to let me be a second Familiar, I’ll gladly clean up. Otherwise...I guess I’ll just keep looking for a master.” He sits, tail curling around his paws in his usual position. Shiro looks at Keith, tail flicking as they communicate. Keith shrugs after a second.

“Of course you can stay. You helped a  _ lot  _ when you did it back there, so…” Lance grins, canines exposed in a happy cat-grin.

“Nice! Well, here we go.” A thin strand of blue energy connects Lance and Keith for a brief moment, and then Keith can feel Lance’s excitement in his mind, bubbling energetically like a spring at the head of a brook. Keith feels something change in his magic, a welcome calming sensation that leaves Keith even more sleepy than before. He yawns and retreats to his room, muttering a garbled something-or-other that’s supposed to be an explanation for what he’s doing. Both Familiars understand nonetheless, being able to decipher Keith’s tired thoughts. Shiro pads into Keith’s room after him, and Keith is asleep quickly, lulled by Shiro’s purring and the quiet, soothing sound of humming from the next room over. 

.oOo.

Lance hums happily, feeling happier than he’s felt in a while. He has a master, a home, and more friends besides them. The blue cat curls up on the couch and gets to work converting all the used/excess magic floating around the apartment into Familiar Mist - a magic-based substance that can be used for energy whenever one wants, but it usually just a way for a Familiar to mark their territory. It's also nice because the different scents of all the magic floating around can combine into pleasant medleys.  _ Unlike  _ the reeking  _ charring  _ smell Keith's magic has got going on here. Lance crinkles his nose. Really, how the hell is Shiro just ‘used to this’?! It  _ stinks  _ of gross smoke and burning in here! Usually, a little bit of residual fire magic will make a place smell pleasantly of a warm, crackling fire. More than that and it's still pleasant, but rather overpowering, and then anything above that is torture to a Familiar’s sensitive nose. 

Lance smells a different scent wafting in from Keith's room and smirks. Lovely, he has help. Subconsciously, in his sleep, Shiro appears to be converting magic as well. Lance settles down into a more comfortable position and closes his eyes. He may as well nap too, if Keith and Shiro are gonna be so boring. 

.oOo.

The first thing Keith notices upon waking up is that Shiro isn't next to him. This worries him until he's distracted by the second thing he notices. This  _ second  _ thing is that it smells  _ nice  _ in his room. It's  _ really _ faint, but there's a vague sense in Keith's mind that his room somehow smells like the ocean. 

**_It smells much better in here, I agree._ ** Shiro says in Keith's mind, having sensed what Keith was thinking. 

**_I know, right? Thanks to_** **me** ** _._** Lance chirps smugly, prompting Keith to roll his eyes. 

_ Sure. Thanks.  _ But despite Keith's sarcastic tone, he really does enjoy this scent, this faintest of smells on the edge of his consciousness. It's soothing, just like Lance's presence to his magic. Just like they taught him at the Garrison, opposite magic types compliment each other in wizard-Familiar relationships. Keith wanders out of his room, yawning and futilely trying to tame his bedhead. Shiro is in human form, sitting on the couch and reading a book. Keith frowns as he hears a peculiar tapping sound, only to nod in comprehension as he looks out onto his tiny patio and sees rain falling softly, quietly drumming on the patio. Keith's eyebrow raises as he sees a blue cat outside, walking along the patio railing with his tail waving happily, obviously enjoying the rain as he paces back and forth, meowing up at the clouds. Keith can feel his elation in the back of his mind, and it's somehow endearing. 

**_Water types, huh? They're odd around rain._ ** Keith chuckles, and Shiro smirks, still reading his book. 

_ So wait, will  _ _ you _ _ get weird if it's windy out?  _ He asks with a smirk in Shiro’s direction. Shiro groans and gives him a long-suffering look. 

**_I sincerely hope I do not get the urge to walk around meowing if we ever get a particularly windy day._ ** Keith laughs. He stops laughing when he's sprayed with water from a certain cat flicking his paw at him as he saunters back inside, sopping wet. Keith yelps. 

“Hey! Quit that, you'll wreck the floor!” Lance's only response to that is to gather all the water on him into an orb (leaving him sitting on his haunches, perfectly dry), sending most of it to the kitchen sink, and a little bit down Shiro’s back. Shiro yells a little, back arching as the freezing rainwater slides down his spine and soaks his shirt. Lance snickers, looking so smug he may as well have canary feathers on his lips, and nudges the patio door closed behind him with a paw. 

_ Lance. Why are you still being a cat? You're free to take on your human form if you want.  _ The cat bristles, giving Keith a guarded look. 

**_I want to be a cat. I dislike being a human because it dulls my senses._ ** Keith shrugs and lets him be, even though he  _ wants  _ to pry. Keith has  _ no  _ intention of getting his eyes clawed out by a pissy Familiar today. So Keith sits next to Shiro instead, picks up his own book (a truly entertaining thing about very rare mythical creatures and the debate over whether or not they actually exist), and starts reading. 

He does his very best to ignore the elated, distracting yowling from outside as Lance enjoys the rain some more. 

.oOo.

Eventually, Lance gets bored. (It doesn't take long, after the rain stops.) He starts nuzzling up against Keith, attempting to get his attention, but it brushed off by the wizard, who is still immersed in his book. Lance’s eye twitches in annoyance. 

“Keith. Shiro.  _ Either  _ of you! Pay attention to me! Let's  _ go  _ somewhere!  _ Keith!”  _ Keith finally looks up with a pissed-off growl. He slams his book shut and glares at Lance. 

_ “What?!”  _ he snaps, and Lance's ear twitches as he grins smugly. 

“Let's go somewhere. I'm  _ bored. _ ” Keith keeps glaring, gaze stony. 

“Where, exactly, were you thinking?” Lance ponders that for a second, looking up at the ceiling before his blue eyes lock back onto Keith's. 

“The castle. The training room. I'm a new addition to this little group, and I'm gonna change your and Shiro’s dynamic a  _ lot  _ just by  _ being  _ here. We gotta start training together to find out how we can fight together without screwing up.” Keith's eyebrows raise. 

“Oh. Yeah, sure.” He hadn't been expecting anything  _ serious  _ from the Familiar, and this specific, useful idea surprised him. Maybe Lance isn't as much of an idiot as Keith thought? 

“And then we can get food! I'm starving already. Hey, maybe I'll even get to meet some hot chicks!” Keith's brows drop into a scowl. Nope. Scratch that last thought. Lance is a  _ moron _ . 

“Whatever, Lance. Hurry up, we're leaving. And  _ no,  _ we're not getting food after.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot woot! We've got some neat exploration of magic, fight scenes, fluff and possible angst coming up! Also: Bonding moments! Here's hoping Lance doesn't get amnesia, else Keith may rupture a vein. (Lol)   
> Thanks so much to everyone who commented and left Kudos! I always adore knowing that people are liking my story.  
> ANNOUNCEMENT: Now that school is starting up again (this past week was my Spring Break), updates will be once a week at most. I will have less time to write chapters, and less time to post them (I'm only allowed on my computer on holidays/weekends). I'm sorry! I am a very busy little girl who gave herself far too many core subjects and not nearly enough free time.  
> If ya wanna see my art (it's not Voltron...yet...I need to practice drawing guys...), I am anime_fangirl2000 on Instagram! Feel free to come chat, RP, whatever you want! (:


	8. Magical Moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get some more insight into our trio's respective magic types, and the very beginnings of a Lance backstory!

Keith is just about to activate a training simulation when Lance interrupts him, a cat jumping onto Keith’s chest and causing him to fall flat on his butt.

“No, no, no, not that kind of training. Not yet. We’re gonna be learning each other’s styles first. That means stationary targets and a bunch of doing magic together.” The cat saunters off, heading towards the equipment room. “Hurry up! Get off your butt! You gotta help set these up, ya know.” Keith sends Lance a glare, fuse getting steadily shorter as the cat keeps talking. He sets up targets with Shiro and Lance, the water Familiar finally taking on his human form in order to help. It takes about twenty minutes, but eventually all the targets are set up, and as Lance brushes off his hands, his tone becomes 100% serious. “Alright. Since there’s three of us, I guess I’ll just start off by watching both of you do some magic. Whatever you want, just hit those targets with what you’d usually use in a real battle. I need to get a feel of your guys’ fighting styles so I don’t get underfoot during a fight.” Keith resists the urge to mutter ‘Like you get under my feet every other moment?’, instead facing a target, taking some deep breaths, and letting his magic free again. Shiro relinquishes his attachment to the magic, pulling up his own. It’s a familiar, exciting feeling that makes Keith’s heart flutter in anticipation. Keith’s magic is building, brightening, filling him to the brim and then spilling over easily as Keith allows it to increase at whatever rate it wants, not suppressing its power. Lance hums in appreciation as flames lick at Keith’s body, impressed. Then he focuses on the feeling of Shiro’s magic, already having a good sense of Keith’s. _Shiro_ letting go isn’t a volcano erupting like Keith. His magic is a whirlwind, usually subdued and calm, a breeze running through him and fueling Keith’s flame while at the same time confining it. Now, it’s a hurricane, manifesting around Shiro as a funnel of fast, buffeting wind as his own magic pool howls with anticipation, whirling speedily through him and raring to go just as much as Keith’s magic.

Lance watches carefully as both men use their respective magic types to obliterate their targets. Shiro’s movements are fast but measured, quick and precise steps and movements guiding the wind and slicing the target to ribbons with nothing but air, his feet close together as he stays within a small area. Just like all wizards or Familiars, stance is _everything_ , and getting it wrong can royally screw up your aim or intensity. Keith, meanwhile, is just a tiny bit slower, and much less precise. His movements are harsh, vicious, mirroring the angry, unrelenting qualities of fire, and his stance is wide and high up. His target is reduced to ash, and Lance whistles, clapping for the both of them. “Okay, cool.” He smirks. “I think that should be enough to go off of. I’ve got your techniques, and I can really just train with ya if I need anything more. Thanks for humouring me.” Keith shrugs, and Shiro nods quickly and says a quick ‘You’re welcome’. Keith gives Lance an odd look as Lance positions himself, noting how Lance’s stance is far too wide for water magic. He’s about to comment when he feels an odd tug on his magic, and Lance starts moving.

_What the hell?! He’s_ _water_ _type! How is he using_ _my_ _fire magic?!_ Keith thinks incredulously as a target is incinerated, Lance stepping back and wincing as he shrugs off the unwanted, foreign magic running through his system.

“That’s something like Keith’s style. Good stance, sloppy movements. Pretty characteristic of a fire wizard, ‘specially a young one.” He doesn’t ask Shiro for permission any more than he did Keith, launching right into a quick, precise, and complicated series of movements and borrowing some magic from the Familiar. Air magic is super precise, and super complicated, the most so out of all the types of magic. But Lance does it, even if he misses the center of the target a little. Lange grins at the stunned people behind him, satisfied with their reactions and done showing off. “I’m not a normal cat, you know.” He winks obnoxiously. “I’m a _copycat_ .” Keith groans at the terrible pun, while Shiro smirks and shakes his head. Lance laughs, more at their reactions than his own joke. Then, he takes on a low, but confined stance, his feet close together as he straightens his spine. _This_ is water magic. And it always looks more like ballet than fighting - never failing to impress people on the battlefield with its deadly precision and grace. Ohhh, yeah. Lance is _very_ proud of his magic type. Lance does a quick spin of his arms, gathering water from the surrounding air, and then pushes the water at the target in one swift, fluid motion. It pierces a hole in the target before splashing to the ground. Lance grins, satisfied, and turns to Shiro and Keith. Shiro is nodding, already familiar with Lance’s style, while Keith’s eyes are wide. He’s actually never seen a water-type wizard fight before. He’s only ever stuck with his small group of friends, none of whom are water-type _anything_ . Keith had thought before that Shiro’s quick, precise style was graceful. But now that he's seen the veritable _dance_ that is pure water magic, Shiro’s style seems closer to Keith's own.

**_He's definitely a very practiced magic user. He has his style down pat, and it certainly fits the stereotypical water mage. More like ballet than fighting. But it's still devastating._ ** Keith glances at Lance, who has gathered up the extra water and is dumping it down a drain.

_I saw it wreck_ _one_ _target. And that seemed like a big task. How exactly is_ _water_ _‘devastating’?_

**_Just like wind. It seems like it shouldn't be able to do much, but learn to control and manipulate it well enough, and all the power behind nature's slow process of erosion can happen in less than a second. All_ ** **_we_ ** **_saw back there, fighting Lance, was someone with a very limited understanding of water magic trying to use it_ ** **_through_ ** **_Lance._ ** **_That_ ** **_wasn't the real technique, so forget all that._ ** Keith nods slowly and tears his eyes away from Lance, who is now cleaning up the wrecked targets and setting up the remaining ones in new positions.

**_Heya, slackers. Wanna help me clean up?_** Keith starts at the sudden loud voice in his mind. Keith's own voice is a normal tone in his mind, and Shiro lowers his louder inner voice to appease Keith. But Lance has _zero_ dampening on his inner voice, and with his excited attitude at the moment, it's pretty loud.

_Sure,_ _if_ _you promise to never be that loud in my head ever again. _

**_…Sorry. Anyways. Let's clean up and then eat food! Woohoo!_ ** Lance's enthusiasm is contagious, especially with everyone sharing their minds, and Keith finds himself grinning along with his Familiar.

_How are you so excited for cleaning?!_ he asks jokingly. There's a flicker of something Keith doesn't quite see on the edge of his mind, a scene that Keith can sense is full of light and laughter, but can't focus properly on before it's gone. _That was from Lance._ Keith thinks privately, curiosity piqued. From what he knows, Lance hasn't had the occasion to form such a bright memory, but there one was. And judging by how fast Lance swept it aside, he doesn't want Keith and Shiro seeing it. Which doesn't help Keith’s curiosity.

**_Quit digging around in my head. I can_** **feel** ** _you. Hurry up and clean._** Lance's voice is harsh, all excitement gone as he snaps at Keith bitterly. Keith flinches, guilty as he realizes that as he had been lost in thought, he had accidentally tried to find that memory again. Little to no privacy - a hazard of sharing minds.

As Keith cleans up, stacking the targets and stands back in the equipment room, he pays a little mire attention to the qualities of the presences in his mind. Having such an emotional Familiar attached to him now is really making him realize the differences between all three of them. At the moment, Lance's link is subdued, distant, and Keith gets the image of a lake, seemingly calm but rippled with the movements of something ominous deep below the surface. And _those_ \- the mental images he gets from Lance - are what have pushed Keith to really pay attention to his Familiars. He never really got _images_ from Shiro. Emotions, words, mental nudges, yes. Not images pertaining to his magic type, detailing what's going on in his head. So Keith turns his focus to Shiro, trying to _see_ his presence more than _feel_ it. It takes a few moments, and quite a bit of concentration, but he gets an image just for a moment. A warm breeze, gentle and welcoming, stirring a field calmly. At the same time, though, there's an undercurrent of unease, a doubtful feeling Keith can't see, but _can_ sense. He tries to find anything else, but the image flickers and disappears before he can, Keith's concentration wavering and switching to Lance as the Familiar returns to cat form and clambers up Keith's body to curl on his shoulders.

“Ack - what the hell, Lance?!” There's a soft, rumbling chuckle next to Keith's right ear, and Lance purrs out a sleepy,

“I'm tired. And your shoulders are as good a place as any to nap.” Keith scowls but doesn't make Lance move, not _actually_ disliking the sensation. Lance's purring is soothing, and his soft fur feels nice against the back of Keith's neck. Keith glances over at Shiro to see a black lion making a face at him that can only be described as a smirk.

“Looks like a comfortable spot. Mind if I join?” Keith yelps and backs away, taking the joke far too literally as Lance chuckles. Half-sheathed claws grip the front of Keith's shirt to keep Lance from falling off, and the cat falls asleep without removing them. For the moment, Keith supposes that's okay, at least until he gets home. When he gets _there_ , Lance is getting dumped onto the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY this took so long! Like I said, school is stressful and busy, and I have no time to write stories between that, homework, applying for jobs, and keeping up with all the other stuff everyone in my life is throwing at me. I mean jeez, I swear I'm doing more teaching than the teachers for some of my classmates...  
> I am definitely still working on this and my other story, as well as a new one based off of @felixdaartist's Murder AU on Instagram! We're hopefully gonna work together on that and make an awesome fanfic based off of their awesome character designs and storylines!  
> Thank you all once again for the Kudos and comments! I look forward to hearing from you more! :D


	9. Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More fluff! And a bit of suspense just to keep everyone interested... ;)  
> Also: Artwork from myself of what I picture Familiar lance to loo like!

Lance yowls indignantly as Keith tries to deposit him on the couch, claws coming out automatically and getting stuck in Keith's shirt. He manages to get them out without ripping the fabric, and glares at Keith poutily.

**_Jerk._ ** Keith smirks.

_Layabout._ Lance grunts dismissively and curls up right where he is, ears flicking a few times before he gets comfortable and falls right back to sleep. Keith stares for a second, envious of the Familiar’s ability to pass out that easily, and then turns to talk to Shiro - only to find that the black lion is gone, fast asleep on Keith's bed already. Keith raises his eyebrows but doesn't do anything, carefully sitting next to Lance so as not to disturb him and grabbing his book again. _I guess that's the thing with having two cats as Familiars. Cats are cats are cats, and they tend to sleep a_ _lot_ _._ Keith gets maybe three pages in before a blue cat gets up, moves drowsily to Keith's lap, and falls asleep in _the_ most _interfering_ spot he could possibly have chosen. Keith puts his book away and instead pets Lance, smirking happily at the loud purring this draws from the snoozing feline. Shiro may not appreciate being treated like a normal cat, but Lance seems to _adore_ it. With Lance curled up, being a little space heater in his lap, Keith is lulled to sleep by the sound of purring and the feeling of silky-soft fur between his fingers.

.oOo. 

    Shiro yawns and leaps lightly off the bed, claws unsheathing unconsciously as he stretches out on the carpet, tail curling and fluffing out a little as he performs this necessary step to waking up. Shifting to human form, Shiro pads out of the room with bare feet, stretching his arms  above him as he does. Being human comes with a whole new set of muscles to stretch out, and even if he hasn’t let them sit and get sore during a nap by napping in human form, they’re nonetheless sore afterwards. The Familiar pauses when he steps into the living room, a small smirk playing on his lips as he brushes his forelock out of his eyes to get a better look at his companions. Keith’s head is flopped onto the couch back, hair fluffed up into its natural messy state from tossing his head, and a track of drool has made its way from his mouth, down his jaw, onto the couch. He’s snoring lightly, as is Lance, little purring noises mixing with soft snorts as they both doze. Lance is curled into a tight ball in Keith’s lap, one of Keith’s hands still resting on his back as Lance’s tail curls around himself in Lance’s apparent favourite position for the appendage to be in. Shiro wishes he had a camera right about now, a paternal urge to capture the adorable moment causing his cat ears to perk up attentively. But he has no camera, and no Pidge to make anything for him. So he saves the memory in his mind, amongst his little rainy-day fund of happy thoughts and memories he enjoys going back to look at whenever he’s feeling down. Shiro uses all his innate stealth to be as quiet as possible as he grabs a quick snack for himself and retreats to his and Keith’s room, shutting the door almost silently and sitting on the floor to meditate. It’s a favourite pastime of his, a calming alternative to reading or training, and he’d like to use this nice silence going on at the moment for himself.

Of course, five minutes in, and he’s been distracted by the dreams Lance and Keith are having, extremely vague shapes and feelings slipping through their links and nagging Shiro to take a look. He’s always felt like it’s a little intrusive to look at others’ dreams through their links, but at the moment, nothing especially interesting in going on in either Lance’s or Keith’s minds, and Shiro feels safe enough to just observe casually from the sidelines and make sure no nightmares start budding. Keith’s dream, when Shiro takes a peek into his mind, is a pleasant amalgamation of fire, pleasant warmth, the scent of an ocean breeze, and a happy, bubbly sort of feeling that Shiro can _just barely_ recognize. It feels like his paternal instincts, that warm coil in the chest that means love and protection and joy. And feeling that sort of emotion taking place in Keith’s dreams makes Shiro smile. When he had become Keith’s first Familiar at Allura’s request, it had taken a _long_ time to get Keith to trust him, to open up and quit inundating Shiro’s mind with dark, lonely thoughts and emotions.

    When Shiro finally gets around to looking at Lance's dreams, he is jolted by the disparity between the two boys. Lance's mind is more chaotic now, not quite a nightmare but not a particularly nice dream either. The first thing that hits Shiro is a sense of déjà-vu, and the vertigo-like feeling that accompanies it. There's a homey sense too, but it's slightly twisted, a feeling of unease intertwined with the happiness and belonging associated with being in a nice home. There's a flicker of a bright room, one permeated with a campfire scent that isn't Keith's, and the feeling of being _home_ intensifies, before a flash of purple light steals it all away. Then, an image of the living room Lance is in now, Keith and Shiro sitting on the couch reading, and two distinct emotions. Steely determination, and wistful fondness.

Shiro is snapped from his meditation as a paw hits his nose lightly, bopping it insistently a couple times before Shiro gets his bearings enough to open his eyes and respond.

“Yes, Lance?” The cobalt cat sits down and grooms a little before fixing Shiro with a solemn gaze and speaking aloud in a hushed tone.

“You saw.” It's not a question but a statement, and Shiro knows exactly what Lance is talking about. That foreign room, associated with home and decorated with cay toys, sparse furniture, and paintings.

“Yes, I saw. I apologize if I was intruding.” Lance sighs and looks away, the repetitive sweeping of his tail and the derisive flick of his ear betraying his conflicted emotions.

“No, it's fine. You have a right to know about my past. I just…don't like reliving it. So I'll either tell it all at some point or…maybe you'll have to piece it together yourself. I dream about it a lot anyways so…” Sad, apologetic blue eyes give Shiro the best puppydog eyes he's ever seen aside from on Pidge. Considering that this is coming from a cat…it's impressive. At that moment, Keith wanders in and pauses in the doorway.

“Uh…am I interrupting something?” Lance hits Shiro’s forelock playfully with a paw and laughs.

“Nope! Just bothering Shiro!” He turns, deliberately letting the _entire length of his tail_ brush against Shiro’s nose. He sniffs a couple times before sneezing, giving Lance an unamused look as the smirking cat rubs against Keith's leg and purrs obnoxiously. And whatever sort of moment he and Shiro had been having is completely erased. So much for serious, civilized conversations. For how old he suspects Lance to be, the Familiar certainly acts childish.

.oOo. 

    Haggar peers at a magical screen being held up for her by an apprentice Druid. She smirks at the information displayed there, amused by how _easy_ it _constantly_ proves to be to find Lotor’s favourite pet. He has such a _distinct_ magic signature, and no knowledge on how to hide it. And now that he's paired with such a strong, unique fire mage such as the Kogane boy as well as an escaped Familiar Haggar knows well, it's especially easy to track him down. Haggar dismisses the apprentice, drifting over to Lotor with her usual unreadable expression.

“Prince Lotor, your father would want you to be focusing on removing the threat of the Paladins and Altea, not chasing after a lost cat.” Lotor gives Haggar a disdainful look.

“I'm not my father. And he has no say in what I do, especially since he's nothing but a useless corpse in a cryo-pod.” Haggar knows better than to press the prince further, but she still gives him a calculating look. _How much can I do to further his empire while staying under his radar? He's not the most attentive, but there are many who support him fully and would be glad to inform him of my insubordination…_ Haggar looks back at whatever Lotor is watching, not paying attention as she plots. _Perhaps once he gets his pet back, he'll reconsider his priorities._ Haggar stalks away without a word, a plan already forming in her mind. She'll have the opportunity to test out her newest creature, and if all goes well, she'll bring back _three_ prisoners for the prince.

.oOo. 

    Lance lets out an odd, pained yelp as he slams into a wall, the air rushing from his lungs. He lies where he is for a few seconds before getting up and giving Keith a grin.

“Nice one.” Keith smirks and lets the fire on his hands gutter out, shooting back a smug reply as Lance sets to grooming himself.

“Nice save with the water shield. You'd be hairless right now if you missed.” Lance's ear twitching is the only response Keith gets other than a little burst of amusement from Lance in his mind and a vague sense of good-humoured haughtiness. They've been sparring, all three of them, for hours now, and it's obvious that despite his cheery attitude, Lance needs a break. He's licking his wounds (literally) more than he would if he weren't trying to get them to quit bothering him so much. So Keith quits while he's ahead, while he and his Familiars are tired - magically _and_ physically - but not absolutely exhausted. Physical exhaustion is dangerous, but magical exhaustion can lead to self-destructive burnouts in both wizards and Familiars. Of course, it's more common in wizards, since Familiars have the ability to draw magical energy from their surroundings.

Once they’ve cleaned up, Keith announces that they’re going out to get some food, at which Lance perks up and meows happily from his perch on Keith’s shoulders. That has become his favourite spot to be for some reason, and despite how many times Keith has dumped him off, Lance continues to hop up there and avoid ‘hurting his paws’ on the walks around the city. Keith calls bullshit on Lance’s excuses, but allows Lance to sit up there anyways. Shiro has no complaints about Lance’s special treatment, and Keith has sort of gotten used to the feeling of Lance’s furry little body curled around his neck.

.oOo. 

    “Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. Pidge and Hunk are meeting us here.” Keith mutters absentmindedly to his two Familiars  (who are in human form) as they look around for an empty table in the cafe. Shiro shrugs and says nothing, perfectly fine with the idea, before pointing out a good table in the corner. Lance, on the other hand, whoops excitedly and pumps a fist in the air.

“Yeah! Pidgeon and Hunkules! I love those guys!” He responds to Keith’s unamused stare with a lopsided grin before plopping himself down into a chair. The cafe they’re at is Familiar-friendly, but only if the Familiars are in human form. Knowing some of the crazy animals some Familiars like being, Keith has to say he agrees with the policy. He would be _kind of weirded out_ if he had to share a restaurant with a komodo dragon or something. Or a giant spider. He’s seen that one before, too. (But really! Who the hell would ever want a _giant spider?!_ It was the size of a _golden retriever_ and _sitting on someone’s lap!)_ Keith is distracted from his thoughts by someone whacking him on the head with a newspaper.

“Yo, Edgelord.” Pidge greets him, a mischievous smirk on their lips as they sit next to Keith. Keith rolls his eyes.

“Hey there, Gremlin.” They both laugh at their own nicknames for a moment before Pidge sets the newspaper down on the table and gets super serious.

“Okay. I contacted you cuz I saw something super strange in the paper and figured you wouldn’t have read it. Page three, take a look.” Keith frowns but follows Pidge’s instructions, flipping through the pages as Hunk and Lance fool around with some straws across the table. It looks like a fun swordfight, but Keith has no intention of joining, and Shiro is staring at them like they’re aliens he just can’t figure out. Pidge tugging on Keith’s hair brings him back to the task at hand, and Keith quickly gets to reading.

_Strange reports of dying plant and animal life have magic experts stumped this weekend. Huge patches of land have been seemingly drained of all Quintessence, and researchers can’t find any source for the apparently random phenomenon. Further research will be conducted, but experts suggest that it may be nothing but another freak happening like that of the sinkholes last year._

Keith looks at Pidge with a frown. They shrug back, a worried frown mirroring Keith’s.

“Do you have any idea what this might be? Cuz it’s definitely weird, and I can’t think of anything.” they ask, and Keith shakes his head.

“Nope. Hey Lance, Shiro, take a look at this. Any ideas?” The Familiars spend a couple minutes reading and pondering before they both respond with negatives. They, too, have no idea what it might be. Lance keeps the paper for himself, frowning at the text a few more times before he finally hands it back with a dejected sigh.

“Sorry, dude. I’ve got nothing. I’ve never seen anything like this before. But  can tell you this: It isn’t a ‘freak happening’. Quintessence doesn’t just _disappear_ that thoroughly. I’d suggest the Galra, but I have no clue how the hell they’d manage to do this sort of damage.”

The rest of their meal is a bit more subdued than the beginning, thoughts of Galra and dark magic turning the whole mood sour. When Pidge suggests that Keith and his Familiars should come over to their house and binge-watch some conspiracy theory shows to get their mind off of it, everyone agrees quickly, and soon, they’re all chatting about which episodes to watch with no trace of concern left for the newspaper article. All _that_ stuff can wait until later.

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse my terrible drawing. The colours are all off cuz my markers just do NOT have those kinds of colours. Sooooo many layers were applied to get those blues...  
> I've already started writing the next chapter! We'll get some action in, hopefully, and definitely more fluff! And, if all goes well...a little more depth to Lance's character. Although I think that will definitely raise more questions than it answers.


	10. Something's Not Right

Keith fidgets somewhat uncomfortably as he’s squashed under the weight of at  _ least _ two people. Somehow, throughout the course of three episodes, Keith has become a pillow for both Pidge  _ and  _ Lance, so now he’s being laid on from both sides. Pidge’s glasses are digging into his shoulder as the teen shoves more popcorn into their mouth and points out all the flaws in the theories being explained in front of them. Lance is fixated on the screen, eyes wide as he gasps quietly at the most jarring parts.  _ That _ , Keith finds hilarious. Lance’s reactions this entire time have been  _ perfect _ , meaning that Keith is going to have some A+ blackmail material by the end of the session. Hunk is on Pidge’s other side, watching with an expression of skeptical amusement, perfectly comfortable where he is with Pidge’s feet on his lap.

And Shiro...is snoring. Loudly. He got through maybe half of one episode before his head lolled back and he started making noises reminiscent of an old car starting up. Lance took the opportunity to uncurl from his pretzel-like position between Keith and Shiro and lay down instead, his legs across Shiro’s lap with his knees bent over the armrest and his feet dangling off the couch. Keith thinks that he  _ still  _ looks  _ really  _ uncomfortable, but Lance doesn’t seem to mind his awkward placement, so Keith says nothing. All in all, Keith is enjoying himself like this, surrounded by friends and watching documentaries on his favourite subject with some popcorn.

_ Best. Night. Ever.  _ Lance turns his head, sitting up a little to grin at Keith.

“I agree, Mullet. I agree.” He then sets to complaining about a crick in his back. Keith watches in mild amusement as the Familiar stretches hugely, turns into a cat, and gets back on the couch to curl up next to Keith.

_ I don’t get how that’s more comfortable. You’re still curled up, are you not?  _ Lance scoffs at him, one ear twitching as his tail thumps against the couch softly.

**_Of_ ** **course** **_it’s more comfortable. Cats are_ ** **meant** **_to lie like this._ ** Keith doesn’t protest further, instead scratching Lance behind the ears in the way Lance likes, before resting a hand on Lance’s back to feel his purring. Lance  _ definitely _ isn’t the same as Shiro. If Keith tried to pet Shiro like this, he’d be getting an earful from a disgruntled, annoyed lion. Amusement radiates from Lance as he gets the gist of Keith’s train of thought.

**_Yeah. Shiro’s a bit of a spoilsport._** Keith doesn’t even _try_ to argue.

.oOo.

They end up staying overnight, everyone asleep in the small living room, packed in like sardines in a can. Every single one of the spare blankets and pillows have been brought out, but they're still a few short. This doesn't bother Lance, who lays down in between Keith and Shiro in cat form anyways. He manages to fall asleep mid-sentence, one paw resting on Keith's cheek as he had been trying to get his mage’s attention. Keith could definitely push the paw off, but it's adorable, and Keith really doesn't care either way. 

Shiro may or may not borrow Pidge’s camera to take a picture. 

Keith wakes up slowly, drifting gradually up from the depths of sleep with the insistent nagging of something he can't quite place.  _ What woke me?  _ He gets his answer as it comes again, the quiet noise nonetheless startling in the absolute silence of midnight. Hunk, Lance, and Shiro are talking in the next room, huddled on Pidge’s bed as they converse in hushed tones. Keith sneaks closer, noting how Pidge is still sound asleep on the couch, and listens through the door, which has been left ajar. 

“...telling you, something’s  _ wrong.  _ How can you two not feel it? Especially you, Shiro!” Lance hisses softly, sounding pretty worked up. 

“I'm sorry, Lance, but I still have no idea what you mean. Try explaining it again?” Lance groans into his hands in exasperation - Keith can tell from the muffled quality of the sound - and declines. 

“No, I can't. If  _ showing  _ you what I'm feeling didn't work, then you're not gonna get it. Hunk, just…just be careful.” He leaves the room in a huff, bumping right into Keith on the way out. There's a moment of stunned, guilty silence before Keith collects his thoughts and whispers a harsh, 

“What do you mean, something’s  _ wrong _ ? What did you show them?” Lance bites his lip, glancing at Pidge and then Hunk, before responding. 

**_Be_ ** **quiet** **_. Hunk can tell Pidge when they won't be a demon for waking them up._ ** He grabs Keith's wrist and tugs him into the room with Shiro, Hunk exiting afterwards with a yawn. Once Keith is sitting, Lance bids him close his eyes and concentrate on what Lance is trying to show him. Keith understands immediately, Lance's thoughts reaching out to him and  _ clicking  _ with something in Keith’s mind. And suddenly, an entirely new feeling reveals itself to Keith. As it does, a sickly sense of dread seeps insidiously all the way into his bones, and Keith can't help but gag a little. Keith can  _ feel  _ the state of the ambient magic of the world - called the Weave - in the same way that Familiars can at all times.  _ Most _ of it is perfectly normal: gentle wisps of all the different magic types weaving around the entirety of the land, some being drawn on by Familiars, most just drifting and keeping the natural balance intact. It's beautiful, and Keith revels in that part of the Weave. It's the  _ other  _ bits that are making him feel queasy. There are  _ holes  _ in the Weave unlike anything he's ever heard about. Huge, unnatural rents in the ambient magic layer that are edged with dark magic and reeking of bad intentions. Keith can sense that Lance doesn't get the full extent of the damage to the Weave, just a vague sense of something being  _ off _ about it. And Keith can't show him what's actually happening, because if one’s mind can't process what's happening that deep in the Weave, it can't be taught and they just  _ won't _ .  _ Ever _ _.  _ But Keith knows that he has to at least try to explain. 

_ There are - there are  _ _ holes _ _ , I can  _ _ sense _ _ them. They've got, like, dark magic around them and there isn't any magic left where they are.  _ Shock and horror emanates from his Familiars. 

**_That's…unheard of. How would one possibly tear the fabric of the Weave?! The kind of cruel magic that would…dark magic. The Galra._ **

Lance nods, brow furrowed in concern. 

**_Definitely the Galra. I don't want to know what they're planning to do, but…tearing the Weave would provide a_ ** **lot** **_of magic. We need to warn Allura._ ** Keith agrees, and even though Lance has taken away the borrowed ability to sense the Weave, Keith still feels mildly sick, a bitter aftertaste in his mouth from what he just experienced. Keith knows that the taste is all in his head, a gut reaction from a strong wizard to such  _ wrongness  _ in the Weave, but he can't shake the acrid flavour of blood from his tongue. 

.oOo.

Haggar frowns at the contained magical energy before her, sensing the unrest in the trapped strands as they fight to escape, to return to whence they were stolen, to balance the Weave again. 

“We need to act fast. Much longer, and this Quintessence we've gathered will shatter the bonds on it. We have enough to complete the experiment, and in any case, we should be preparing to attack as soon as possible.” The lesser Druids behind her nod their assent, their masks bobbing up and down and making them look like a flock of skull-headed vultures nodding stupidly at Haggar’s words. It irks her, and her next words are sharp and cruel. “Then hurry up! Prepare the ceremony we discussed! You had better not fail me this time!” Haggar stalks out, cloak flaring behind her as she heads to the ceremony room. She won't be setting anything up herself in order to save her energy, but she  _ is  _ going to make sure these idiots don't screw up. She has learned the hard way not to trust even her most seasoned Druids. 

Haggar leers at the tiny, frightened Familiar before her. The girl has been in this base for years, but has somehow managed not to fall victim to the dark magic proliferating in the place. Haggar almost laughs at the futility of that resistance. With how much twisted Quintessence they're about to use on her, she'll have no choice but to accept it or be destroyed. And Haggar and her Druids have perfected the art of being  _ persuasive _ with their spells - it won't hurt unless she resists. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh, I finally got time on my computer to post this! To make up for it, I shall post one or two bonus chapters today. Please take my offerings and forgive me!  
> We're gonna get to find out about Lance's past soon! Woot woot!  
> Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed and left Kudos! It makes my day to see the notifications!


	11. Hidden Nature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Haggar sends a monster to try get ahold of Lance and his new wizard, Lance displays some dubious talents that Shiro and Keith aren't quite sure they trust...

Allura rubs her temple to try alleviate her headache. She's had a persistent, throbbing ache in her head all morning, and she has no idea why. Healers and all their spells and potions haven't made a dent in it, she's drunk and eaten as much as usual, there's no odd weather rolling in, and she certainly didn't bump her head on something. 

When a loud knock jolts her upright from a drowsy slouch, Allura sighs. Her headache is now back full force. 

“You may enter.” A blue cat is the first to enter, his tail waving in agitation and his ears laid back. Keith follows, looking rather pale, with Shiro’s hand on his shoulder. Lance assumes his human form before sitting down across from Allura, worrying his bottom lip with catlike, slightly sharper-than-normal teeth. Once all three are sitting, Allura frowns and asks what's wrong. Both Familiars look to Keith, who grimaces. 

“Lance showed me the Weave. There are… _ holes  _ in it, and they're all surrounded by dark magic. I think it's the Galra.” Allura gasps softly at the news, nodding in sudden understanding. 

“That would be the source of my persistent headache today, and the last few days as well. I am sensitive to the state of the Weave, as I am a pure-blooded Altean.” She pauses as Lance blurts out, 

“It's in the papers! The spots with all their Quintessence sucked out - it's even worse than I thought!” Allura nods, fingers twitching slightly as she resists the urge to rub her forehead some more. It would be rude to do so in the middle of a conversation. 

“I must ask that the three of you go take a look at the regions in question. Depart as soon as possible. And be  _ careful,  _ will you?” They agree, and file out, and Allura is left to do paperwork and hope that she can take a nap soon. 

.oOo.

“This makes me  _ so  _ uncomfortable,” Lance comments grumpily, staring at the wilted plant life in a huge circle around them. Shiro nods, not really listening as he rubs small circles on Keith's upper back. Keith's head is pounding, his stomach doing flips as it tries valiantly to make him regurgitate his small dinner. Lance pokes around some more and then shrugs. “Same as the other ones. Nothin’ special here, and nothing we can do to help without all our magic getting sucked out.” It's a sad truth, but true nonetheless. Were any of them to allow any magic to just  _ seep out  _ in an attempt to give back to the drained area, their magic energy would be sucked out by a concentration gradient of sorts until the clearing and themselves had equal amounts of magic. With the amount of magic it would take to achieve  _ that _ , they would be sent into severe magical exhaustion. Lance frowns at the clearly defined edge of the circle, pondering doing the one thing he  _ can  _ do in order to let the Weave balance itself out: get rid of the dark magic acting as a barrier. So as Shiro and Keith sit outside of the circle, Keith unable to pass the perimeter due to nausea, Lance sits in the center and does what he learned to do from Druids - convert others’ dark magic into energy of his own. 

.oOo.

Keith watches, brow furrowed, as Lance sits cross-legged in the center just as he's done for every circle thus far. In a few moments, Keith will start feeling better, and although there won't be a visible change in the state of the plant life within the circle, both Familiars will  _ sense  _ magic rushing in to fill the void, and Keith will feel it by extension. 

Sure enough, Lance takes a deep breath and exhales, and as he does, the nagging  _ wrongness  _ in Keith's gut dissipates. 

“What is Lance doing?” Keith finally asks Shiro, his curiosity overpowering his will to stay silent and mopey after feeling so terrible. Shiro hums in thought, seeming perturbed by something, and answers in a subdued tone. 

“He's converting the dark magic around the edge of the circle into pure magic energy using his own body. I believe he learned it from the Galra - except in reverse.  _ They  _ specialize in taking pure magic and  _ corrupting _ it.” Keith nods, and then pauses. 

“But then - isn't it bad for Lance? Where does the corruption go?” Shiro shakes his head. 

“That's what I'm trying to figure out. I'm also not feeling any surge of magic from Lance, despite his explanation for what he's doing, so…I believe he may actually just be  _ storing  _ the dark magic. And that worries me.” That worries Keith, too, and he picks at a loose thread on his sleeve as he watches Lance brush himself off calmly and give himself and Shiro a cheeky wink. Then, he turns into a familiar blue panther, and Keith decides to hop on  _ his  _ back for the ride back to Altea. It'll be a long one, and he's been with Shiro for all the other trips so far. Besides, if Keith is on Lance's back he can not only talk to Lance about what the heck he's been doing, he can also lay forwards on him without getting fur in his mouth like he does with Shiro’s fluffy mane. 

.oOo.

Pidge shrieks and dives out of the way of a huge, flailing fist, glancing around for Hunk as they cone up from their roll. The Familiar is in falcon form, a tiny shape above the giant creature they're fighting. Hunk swoops down, turning into a golden-furred badger as he falls, and doing as much damage to the thing as possible before he has to retreat, leaping off and becoming a bird again in order to fly to Pidge. 

**_I really hope everyone else gets here soon. We do_ ** **_not_ ** **_have enough magic to defeat this thing, and the citizens aren't exactly helping._ ** Pidge agrees with Hunk, preparing a spell to summon their favourite weapon as they check to be sure no one's in the monster’s way. They and Hunk have been sent to hold off this monster for as long as possible, but it seems pretty futile. The Voltron force is strong as a team, especially with their newest fifth member, but just Pidge and Hunk can only do so much. Hunk has lots of magic, but he's sharing with the both of them because Pidge hasn't found their true strength yet, and therefore hasn't unlocked their true potential. 

_ I need to do that soon.  _ Pidge attacks the thing with renewed ferocity as Hunk gives them an energy boost. A few citizens have started trying to help, using their own magic (which isn't much - Altea citizens aren't expected to have magic at all, let alone fighting-class) to confuse and stall the grotesque creature. Pidge is grateful, but can't express it mid-battle, so they settle for making sure the monster doesn't kill the helpers.  _ That's enough, right? Ha, ha,  _ _ sure _ _.  _

.oOo.

There's a hole in the barrier when Keith and his Familiars arrive at the border of Altea. It's slowly,  _ slowly  _ knitting itself together with as much speed as Allura can muster all by herself, but the fact that it's there at all is a bad sign. The set of large, deep footprints heading towards the city is  _ also _ a bad sign, and there's only a moment of stunned stillness before Shiro and Lance kick it into high gear and start running as fast as possible. Keith hooks his arms around Lance's neck to stay on, worry clouding his mind. If a monster has gotten into the city, then Pidge and Hunk have been sent to take care of it. And with all the stronger wizards in Altea up in the hills (nowhere near this side of the city) and uncaring about the rest of the population, Keith is their only backup. 

By the time they arrive at the scene of the battle, Pidge is on top of the monster, holding on with a handful of its fur and trying to get a good hit in to break through its tough hide. Keith is almost thrown off of Lance's back with the momentum as Lance skids to an abrupt stop. He looks horrified, and Keith looks to Shiro to see a matching expression on the lion's face. Keith has no time to ask why before Lance shrugs him off unceremoniously and leaps away, clinging to the beast and raking at it with his back claws. Shiro take son his human form and takes advantage of the beast’s distraction - it’s trying to pull off both Pidge  _ and _ Lance now. Keith takes as long a look as he dares at the monster, searching for a weak spot. It's about the size of an average house, and looks vaguely like a dog, albeit a heavily deformed one. There appear to be pieces of other creatures attached to it, as it has a tiny pair of twisted wings on its back, and the talons of some predatory bird. As Keith watches, it grows another set of arms, these one closer to human ones, two bulbous protrusions jutting out from its sides and resolving themselves into thin, stunted little arms. And suddenly, Keith understands why his Familiars had looks so horrified, and why they're now fighting this thing with such determination. This terribly deformed, monstrous  _ thing  _ used to be a Familiar. And judging by how badly Keith's stomach is trying to get him to vomit, it has been made this way by dark magic. Keith decides then to do as much damage as he can before he  _ is  _ sick, and dredges up as much magic as he can before targeting the beast with a flurry of attacks. At the same time, Shiro unleashes his own attacks, and Lance leaps off the thing with an indignant yowl. 

******_ Are you two  _ ** **tryi** ******ng** **_to hit Pidge and I?!_ ** He gets no chance to make it back to Keith, though, as the creature can finally reach him, and it takes the opportunity to smack him away. Perhaps it had been trying to  _ grab  _ him, but it can't quite control its limbs. Keith winces at a sharp pain in his head from Lance, but keeps attacking. Lance gets up, in human form now, and calls Hunk over. 

“Let's do a combo attack! We can get it stuck in mud!” Keith stops attacking for a moment, watching with interest as Lance and Hunk build up magic together. When it's time to release the spells they've been building, the two combine their magic by joining hands, and direct the attack together. It's kind of funny, seeing the wide, low stance of earth magic trying to fit with the high, thin stance of water. But the combination works, a steady stream of mud hitting the beast and hardening quickly as Lance sucks the water back out with his free hand, trapping the thing temporarily. As Keith distracts the enemy with fire attacks, and Shiro keeps its hands away from the hardened shell on its legs, Pidge prepares a weapon with their tech magic. It takes about a minute, in which time Keith's nausea increases so much he has to sit down, but at last they finish. They aim carefully and fire their creation (which is something akin to a spear gun), and a long, sturdy shaft pierces the thing’s chest. It shrieks in a hauntingly human voice, and disintegrates piece by piece, dark magic picking it apart and getting rid of all the additions to its body until all that's left is a girl on the ground, a spear through her chest and scars left by harsh magic all over the skin they can see. She takes a few shuddering, wet breaths, and her eyes lock onto Lance’s. 

“Thank…you…” she gasps, blood burbling in her throat. Her eyes flick to Pidge, and them to Shiro, where they linger for a moment before closing as her breath seeps out along with her blood, and her magic, which forms a briefly visible green mist before dissipating. Lance stares at the corpse for a moment longer before a wave of nausea hits him and he vomits on the road. He gets barely a second of respite, and just barely hears Shiro call his name worriedly, before he topples sideways and passes out cold. To Shiro’s horror, Keith follows shortly after, paling drastically before slumping onto Shiro in a dead faint. 


	12. The Past is Never Dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance are terribly sick, and the antidote is rather hard to find...after all, who in Altea could have Galra crystal?  
> Luckily, there is some...but how and why does Lance know how to use it?
> 
> The Lance backstory chapter you've all been waiting for!

“There's dark magic in their systems, and it made them pass out. I don't know how exactly it got there, but Lance has more of it than Keith, and they're both being affected pretty severely.” Pidge glances up at Shiro as they finish their diagnosis, patting Keith's head gently as the wizard groans. 

_ “God _ , I feel sick…I think I'm gonna--” Pidge hands the woozy teen a garbage can as quickly as possible, and Keith retches up the little food he had in his stomach. Lance bolts upright without warning, causing Shiro, Pidge, and Hunk to all flinch in surprise. 

“Lance, dude, you startled me. What're you doing? Lance…?” Hunk trails off in confusion as Lance doesn't answer, his eyes open but glazed over as he breathes heavily like he just woke from a nightmare. Eventually, his eyes sharpen a little and he sluggishly looks at Pidge. 

“D’you…have a crystal? A big one?” he slurs absently, and Pidge nods. 

“At - at my shop, yeah. There's a Balmeran one--” 

“No! Not that kind. Just…a normal one. Or - or  _ ichnei _ .” Lance interrupts Pidge urgently, and hisses out a foreign word that has Shiro recoiling in shock. 

“What do you need  _ ichnei  _ for?!” he growls unhappily, and Hunk glances between them in confusion as Pidge worries their bottom lip. Lance gives him a blank stare, wobbling slightly in a concerning way and remaining silent for an awkwardly long amount of time before he answers in a quiet, subdued voice. He's slurring even more than last time he spoke. 

“I can…get rid of th’ dark magic…but I need a conduit…” Pidge makes him lay down, frowning at the sick boy as they think for a moment. 

“I  _ think  _ I have a bit of that in the back of the shop, if I didn't get rid of it already. Some weird old lady in a cloak traded it with me for a minor spell. Hunk, do you think you could find it?” Hunk nods. 

“Definitely. I'll go get it now, then - be back soon.” Pidge nods, and Hunk is gone out the open window in a flurry of feathers and wingbeats. Lance sits up again, brushing off Pidge’s attempts to shove him back down, and addresses the tech wizard with a serious (if not rather out-of-it) tone. 

“What…did th’ old lady look like?” Pidge frowns but tells Lance to appease him and get him to rest, detailing a pretty common sort of lady with white hair and a sort of  _ regal  _ stance Pidge had associated with prideful old age. Lance frowns at the floor for a bit, and then groans and flops backwards. 

**_My head hurts too much t’ think righ’ now…_ ** Shiro almost chuckles at how despondent Lance sounds. 

_ Shut  _ _ up _ _ , I have a  _ _ headache _ _.  _ Keith replies irritably, and Shiro  _ does  _ laugh this time. He can feel both of their headaches faintly, and Keith's isn't nearly as bad as Lance's. But Keith never had had much of a tolerance for feeling sick, so…it's to be expected that he's grumpy. 

Hunk returns in maybe twenty minutes, clutching a purplish crystal the size of Shiro’s fist in one claw. Pidge takes it, and Hunk reverts to human form after hopping down from the windowsill. Wings tucked neatly behind him, he leans on the back of the couch and watches as Lance stands from his spot in the corner of the room and shuffles over to where Pidge is standing next to Keith. Lance takes the crystal and shoos them away, kneeling next to the couch as Keith grumbles softly about how shitty his day has been. Lance closes his eyes for a moment, and when he reopens them, they're glowing. But not with his usual, blue light. They're glowing violet, the sickly colour of tainted magic. The crystal floats from his hands and he lets them drop to his sides, focus solely on the crystal as he directs all the dark magic within him into the crystal. It takes form as a stream of purple light from his chest to the  _ ichnei _ , the magic spasming erratically as it fights to escape and wreak havoc as it's meant to. It doesn't take long for Lance to finish (although time seems to drag on forever for the occupants of the room watching), and he moves on to Keith, relaxes and  begins regaining his colour as soon as Lance starts taking the harmful magic out of his system. Once he finishes with Keith, Lance concentrates a little harder, and residual dark magic seeps from everyone else in the room. Once the spasming streams of magic have all completely disappeared into the crystal, Lance puts out his hands and catches it as it falls. There's a long silence before Pidge gives in to their curiosity and quietly asks, 

“How do you know how to manipulate dark magic?” Keith sits up and adds onto the question, staring hard at Lance's mildly guilty face. 

“And how can you use both Shiro’s and my magic?!” Lance chuckles. 

“Well  _ that  _ one's easy. All I have to do is copy your technique and borrow a little magic, and I can wield  _ your _ magic for a short time. The dark magic thing…that's because of my…” He pauses, his face twisting into a distasteful expression, and he spits out the next word bitterly.  _ “Upbringing _ .” Hunk raises a finger to stop anyone from talking as he takes his turn, brows creasing as he tries to clarify for himself what Lance is saying. 

“Okay, but you weren't with Lotor for that long…? How would you learn to use dark magic in that short a time? It takes  _ years _ .” Lance smiles sadly. 

“Sure, I was only with  _ Lotor  _ for maybe four years, but  _ he's  _ not the one who taught me dark magic. I learned  _ that  _ during the fifteen years I was under Zarkon’s ‘care’.” He emphasizes the word  _ care  _ with a pair of sarcastic quotation marks he makes with his fingers on either side of his head. Everyone in the room recoils at the new information, a gasp escaping Pidge’s throat. 

“Does Allura know about this?” Shiro asks softly, eyes guarded. Lance nods, turning the  _ ichnei  _ over in his hands as he peers into its center and watches the trapped magic swirl maliciously, trying to find a crack to escape through. 

“She knows everything. And I guess you guys should, too. Get comfortable, I don't know how long this story’s gonna be.” Once everyone is in their preferred places - Lance sitting on the carpet in cat form, all four others on the couch - Lance makes sure they won't interrupt him with a good-natured warning, and starts talking. 

.~oOo~.

_They had been searching for a suitable Familiar for a long time. Many Familiars had been found, and brought in, and tested, but none had ever been ‘good enough’_ _for Zarkon. Finally, one was found whom Zarkon considered_ acceptable _. Not_ _good_ _, but good_ _enough_ _. A newly created Familiar, fresh from the web, an unusually strong water-type from the Unruly Sea. Of course, it wasn't the air-type he wanted, but it was a strong enough Familiar to withstand some use of a different magic type by its wizard. So Zarkon had it trained, and its mind controlled. It remained nameless throughout all of this, yet another discardable creature with an easily breakable bond._

_ But it grew discontented, despite the insidious influence on its mind. It wanted a  _ _ name _ _ , a  _ _ real _ _ wizard, its  _ _ own _ _ magic type, all the things it had been shown by other captured Familiars, and by the rebel force who sought to free them all. The Blade of Marmora.  _

_ And so, it tried to escape. It got as close as it could to its master, and struck with a type of magic it had not been taught by the Druids assigned to it. The other Familiars took their cues from the rogue Familiar and broke free of their bonds, fighting valiantly for their lives, desperate as the wild animals they were - trapped in corners.  _

_ They lost nonetheless. Such panicked, untrained Familiars could not hope to withstand the might of the Druids, and of Zarkon. But  _ _ one _ _ thing  _ _ did _ _ come from the rebellion. Zarkon was injured enough that he was sent to a cryo-pod, to be removed once he had fully recovered…too bad that particular pod had been tampered with by a spiteful insubordinate.  _

 

__ _ The Familiar was sent to Zarkon’s heir, the prince Lotor. The prince saw its potential, and taught it the magic it was supposed to use, its innate type, its strongest ability. But Lotor still treated the Familiar like nothing. Like an object, a toy, to be played with and discarded whenever its use ended, to be used as a shield and nothing more. He had it controlled more fiercely than before, but now the Familiar knew how to resist.  _

_ And the Familiar was still not content. It still wanted  _ _ more _ _. It wanted to be its own person. And finally, when it was sure it had enough power to do so, it broke loose again, and took all the other prisoners with it. It had the help of the Paladins of Voltron, and this time it was successful.  _

 

_ He wandered for a year, hungry and weak, still confused and lonely but happier than before. Searching for a wizard who would take him, an inexperienced Familiar as he was. But he was no longer an ‘it’, no longer a toy, and that was better than anything he'd had before.  _

 

_ She _ _ found him while he wandered. She nursed him back to health, let him stay with her, and taught him about magic. They were friends, and she tolf him he could stay. After all, she was lonely, and he needed someone just as much as her. Her name was Gracie, and she gave him a name so he wouldn't just be ‘him’ anymore.  _

_ And Lance was happy. He stayed, he learned everything no one had bothered to teach him before, and he rejoiced in discovering the rest of the world and how it worked.  _

_ Gracie needed a Familiar, one who could help her control the raging fires in her veins, and Lance was perfect for the role.  _

_ He stayed with her for just over two years, and he was  _ _ happy _ _. She was like family, the first real wizard he'd ever had. He discovered his preferred form with her, too, a small blue cat whom she loved to pet and play with. Lance loved to sit with her, purring on her lap while she read, or knitted, or sang.  _

_ But his past caught up to him in the form of an angry Druid, shattering the peace and happiness as she intruded on his life once more.  _

_ Lance tried to save Gracie, he really did. But she was adamant: He had to flee, and she had to hold off the Druid until he was far, far away. He should have broken the bond before it was broken  _ _ for _ _ him, because he felt every single thing that Druid did to Gracie before her death wrenched the connection from him.  _

 

_ Lance wandered for three more years after her, until he was found by a wizard on the outskirts of Altea. At first, Lance was frightened by the man. His aura was far too similar to the Galra. But the man assured Lance that he was a part of the Blade of Marmora, and he could take Lance to the princess of Altea. She would surely love to see, after all these years, the Familiar who made it possible for her strongest wizard to finally find a good Familiar.  _

.~oOo~.

“Allura sent me to a whole  _ bunch  _ of places, trying to find me a new wizard, but…” Lance flashes a jarringly cheery grin at all four of his mildly horrified, shellshocked friends, and winks at a stunned Keith. “What can I say, I'm picky.” Keith shakes himself from his musing at that statement, frowning. 

“What d’you mean, you're  _ picky?  _ You decided to stick with me and Shiro despite only knowing us for…what? Half a day?” Lance laughs aloud, and the sound seems to break the tension, everyone relaxing from their tense states they assumed during the storytelling. 

“I  _ am  _ picky. Ask Allura. You two’re just awesome. Besides. You needed my help - both of you - and you still do, in fact. This bullshit with the Galra isn't over yet, and Keith's magic isn't gonna start behaving on its own.” Privately to Keith and Shiro, Lance tacks on a rather ominous,  **_There're definitely more storms on the horizon. I need to be here to weather them with you or you two won't make it through._ **

_ What the hell do you mean by that?!  _ Keith responds, brows creasing in a confused, apprehensive expression. Lance doesn't respond, and instead, the two people he shares a mind with get a glimpse of an oddly specific image. A raging fire, clashing with a roaring tornado, torrents of rain falling on all of it, and a violet pall hanging over all of it. The scene is violent, and it's not too difficult to figure out who's involved, but what Keith and Shiro can't decipher is the violet tint to everything, and the flashes of purple infecting all three of the elements. The Galra will have something to do with it, definitely…but how could they possibly be so  _ integral  _ to this storm that they would appear as a  _ part  _ of them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, that's the end of the chapter spam for now. I hope you liked the backstory chappie! I know I had fun writing it, just seeing all the pieces come together...What a gratifying feeling!  
> The next chapter is in progress as you read this! We'll be getting a lot more Pidge and Hunk-centric bits from now on, but the drama with our Golden Trio isn't nearly done yet! Haggar is a stubborn witch! (Ha ha, the word I used and the one I want to use sound so similar...)  
> Comments and Kudos are eternally appreciated!


	13. Green With Envy

Pidge is unusually silent on the way home. They look pensive, but it's not the casual sort of distant gaze Hunk associates with them mulling over ideas in their head. Rather, it's an unhappy frown, eyebrows knitted together as they practically  _ glare _ at the ground.  _ This  _ pensive look is the expression of someone thinking about heavier stuff than technology, math, or conspiracy theories. Hunk leaves his mage be, knowing that they'll confide in him whenever they've finished thinking, whenever they're comfortable speaking about it without getting flustered. Pidge dislikes being flustered, or disorganized, or unprepared, so they will try their best to get all their thoughts in order and all their words picked out before they discuss something. 

When the two get home, Pidge holes up in their room, closing the door and disappearing without a word. Hunk casts a concerned look at the wooden surface. The door hides Pidge’s secrets well, and it doesn't speak of what's happening within the room. It's an inanimate object, but in the moment, it feels like a close-mouthed sentry guarding the room against Hunk instead. Hunk takes a quick survey of the pantry’s contents and gathers everything he needs. Judging by how much turmoil he can feel seeping through Pidge’s closed link, and the muffled sounds of a pillow being viciously beaten, his wizard needs some comfort food. 

.oOo.

Pidge eats their food slowly, half savouring it and half stalling for time. They have a plan, but Hunk might not like it. In fact, he most  _ definitely  _ won't like it, so Pidge is taking the time to steel their nerves before they bring it up to him. Hunk keeps giving Pidge these little concerned, sidelong looks that have Pidge’s gut twisting with guilt every time. They're worrying Hunk already, and suggesting what they're planning on suggesting will only make it worse. It might also make Hunk angry with them, which is a thought that makes Pidge cringe a little. Hunk is usually the  _ disappointed  _ kind of mad, as is Shiro, and  _ that _ kind of mad is the  _ worst _ . It's really the only kind of mad that can make Pidge feel repentant for their actions. Heart beating a fast tattoo on the inside of their ribcage, Pidge sets down the spoonful of green Jell-O they had been about to eat and goes for it. 

.oOo.

**_So, Keith? What’ve you got planned for training today?_ ** Lance asks bemusedly, stretching languidly as he hops off of Keith's shoulders. Keith is silent for a bit, confusion swirling in his mind before he responds with an unsteady, 

_ I don't know? I figured you guys’d…  _ he trails off, but his assumption is pretty clear. 

**_You figured we'd just_ ** **_have_ ** **_something to do, even after we said we didn't want to train today?_ ** Shiro’s tone is amused and teasing, his expression matching, and Keith sputters for a few moments before grumbling defensively about Shiro never letting up anyways. Lance and Shiro share a laugh, and then Lance shrugs his little feline shoulders and speaks up with his idea, one that had been forming in his mind for a while now. 

**_How about we help Keith control his magic better on his own? I'll take back my influence on it bit by bit, and you, Shiro, can lessen how much you're siphoning bit by bit. That way, Keith’ll learn how to properly harness his own magic without our constant help._ ** There's a small, stunned silence, and then two bemused responses:

**_Huh. That's actually a really good idea, Lance._ **

_ I was not expecting that. That's…pretty good.  _ Lance glares at them, tail flicking in agitation, a grumbly sort of yowling going on in his throat. 

**_Hey! Not cool! I can be smart! Don't sound so shocked!_** Shiro chuckles, and Keith smirks a little at how indignant Lance is. 

**_I don't know about that._ ** **_You're_ ** **_the one who decided that waking Keith up before noon was a good idea last week…_ ** Lance predictably brushes off the topic, changing subjects back to training without missing a beat. 

**_Whenever you're ready, Keith._ ** Keith looks uneasy, biting his lip as he glances at his hands nervously. 

_ Are you sure I can do this? I mean, after what happened last time Lance took back his influence…  _ Shiro steps forward, placing a reassuring hand on Keith's shoulder. 

**_We're going slow this time. It won't be all at once so you can learn to control it better over time. Remember what I told you._ ** Keith nods and takes a deep breath, face calming into his usual steely look of determination. 

_ Go ahead. I'm ready.  _

.oOo.

“No.  _ No way.  _ For the last time, Pidge, it's my job to keep you  _ safe. _ Going on a wild goose chase for some possibly-fake tribe of mages is  _ not doing that.  _ You'll find your magic talent in your own time, you don't need to go seek out the ‘Balmerans’ or whatever you called them.” Pidge scowls at Hunk, arms crossed resolutely. 

“They're  _ real _ . I've done a lot of searching, and there's evidence of them! People have  _ met  _ them! And they help people find their true magic type! Why _ shouldn't  _ I try find them?!” Pidge pauses and looks at the ground to their side for a moment, debating whether or not they should say what just popped into their head. But their emotions overpower their conscience, and they spit out a scathing, “Don't you want me to be useful to the team?! Don't you want me to be  _ happy?!”  _ Hunk’s reaction is exactly why Pidge almost didn't say it. He looks stricken, paling with Pidge’s accusation before his wings, which had been fluffed up in irritation, fold tightly to his back and his expression softens into a heartbreaking kicked-puppy look. But as much as Pidge wants to immediately relent (they're not  _ nearly  _ as sassy and mean as they act), they stand firm and cross their arms defensively. “I want to find my magic type - and my family. If the Balmerans are as skilled as people say they are at finding things…” They trail off, hoping that Hunk will look up, meet their gaze, do  _ something  _ to show that he might be considering it. Hunk does eventually look up, just as the tension is becoming unbearable, sighing as he does so and looking Pidge in the eye. His eyebrows are furrowed with worry, but his next words are as soft and kind as always. 

“Alright, Pidge. We can try find them. But we  _ do  _ need to notify Allura first.” Pidge gives Hunk what is possibly the biggest hug they've ever given him. 

.oOo.

Keith grits his teeth against a groan as his magic lashes out against him, the lake of magma in his mind erupting and roiling with amused contempt for his futile attempts at containing it. It mocks him with every backlash it gives him, seeming to hiss out insults with every scalding retort.  _ You can't suppress me. You can't even control me.  _ Lance's presence is no longer taming the bubbling magma, no longer subduing it in clouds of steam and calming waves. Now,  _ his _ magic is a separate entity that is mocking Keith just as much as his own magic. He knows Lance wouldn't say these things, but nonetheless he hears Lance's voice in his head as he sees how well-controlled Lance's magic is.  _ I'm better than you. I can use my magic. I can control it.  _

As Keith's focus wavers and he spends time thinking instead of acting, Shiro’s lack of influence on his magic takes its toll. The size of the force he has to tame grows, and as it does his grip on it lessens. Shiro and Lance suddenly start helping him again, upping their influence on his magic back to 100%. Keith's eyes snap open and he starts to protest - before he's interrupted by a large quantity of water soaking him head to toe. 

“Wh-What the hell, Lance?!” Keith sputters, staring at his Familiar in shock as water flows in rivulets off of him. Lance just scowls. 

“You were on  _ fire. Burning.  _ I don't know how you didn't notice. But I can tell ya: That is  _ not  _ controlling your magic.” Keith growls angrily and wrings out his slightly charred shirt, frustration riling up his magic in exactly the way he  _ doesn't  _ want it to. Unruly, emotion-fuelled magic that's untamed to begin with isn't the kind of magic he wants right now. So Keith tries to calm down. He's just starting to take deep, calming breaths when Shiro remarks something that has his rage all the way back up. 

“I think Lance might be better at controlling your magic than you are, Keith.” It's said jokingly, and any other time Keith might have rolled his eyes good-naturedly. As it is, though, Keith's reaction is to whip around, teeth clenched, and hiss, 

“Well I'm _not Lance,_ and I haven't got _water_ magic!” Seething, Keith storms away with tendrils of flame lapping at his palms. He snuffs them out by clenching his fists and does nothing to calm himself down. Instead, he curses the stupid exercise inwardly, not caring who hears. He can feel some sort of derision from Lance as his Familiar hears his thoughts, and at the same time there's a sense of disappointment from Shiro. Keith keeps grumbling, feeling unusually grouchy for having gotten more than enough sleep. And that's when Lance's disapproval shifts to anger. 

“Jesus  _ fuck, Keith!  _ Quit  _ bitching  _ and either  _ practice  _ or  _ give up!  _ Despite what you think, this skill  _ is  _ useful, and could be even  _ more  _ so if one of us can't do our jobs fully!” Lance's anger only fuels Keith's, his competitive nature kicking in as he registers the insult. 

“I can fucking  _ do  _ it, Lance! I don't  _ need  _ to practice! And it's not like I'd ever let either of you get so hurt or whatever that you wouldn't be able to  _ help _ !” Lance's rage quiets down to a dangerous simmer, and when Keith looks at him, he's giving Keith an odd, calculating look with his ears laid back against his head. When he speaks next, his tone is as cold as ice and full of barely contained ire. 

“And what if you have no choice  _ but  _ to? What if one of us  _ dies? _ ” And with no warning at all save for that frigid sentence, the whirling cocoon of water magic keeping Keith's own fire magic in check completely disappears. Keith gasps, a strangled sound, and Shiro hisses quietly as he's burned by the sudden increase in temperature in the air surrounding Keith. Shiro backs away, eyes wide as Keith struggles to keep ahold of his magic. The fire is running rampant in his veins, completely free for the first time in a while. Keith grits his teeth and uses the technique Shiro taught him in order to collect and subdue his magic. The collecting part works, but when Keith tries to force his magic to get back in place and calm down, it lashes back at him with indignant ferocity, and returns to its wild rampaging. Keith distantly hears Lance murmur, 

“Ah, so  _ that's  _ why he can't…” before water chases his magic back to its rightful spot in his mind and steals its energy until it can't do anything save bubble quietly and prod the fluid containing it irritably. It strikes Keith suddenly just how  _ sentient  _ his magic acts sometimes - and then he's brought back to reality by cool fingers touching his forehead softly. “You are  _ literally  _ burning up.” Keith can't even muster up the energy to glare at Lance for that pun. He returns to ‘normal’ temperature quickly,  _ his  _ ‘normal’ being a few degrees hotter than most people, and once he's feeling alright again, Lance starts talking quietly. “Magic is usually easy to subdue, even fire magic. It will do whatever its user asks, and that means it'll chill out when needed.” Keith rolls his eyes, and Lance holds up a finger to stop his sarcastic comment preemptively. “And  _ if it's not working _ , you're using the wrong technique. Shiro’s technique, the one he taught you, works well with  _ wind  _ or  _ air _ magic. Wind and air can be forced to move, forced to stop, or forced to stay put. But volatile magic types like fire or water aren't too accepting of being forced.” Lance pauses, and makes a sphere of water in his hand. It's still water, rippling slightly but not moving otherwise, and Lance let's Keith poke it in curiosity before he moves his arms in wide, sweeping motions and creates a swiftly flowing river in a circle around him. It streams just past his ear, snaking around his back and constantly shifting somehow. Keith is mesmerized by this serpentine stream of water, and he stares in awe as Lance keeps moving, weaving a net of burbling liquid around him and enjoying the attention from Keith. Then, all at once, he gathers the water and forces it into a sphere again. The water doesn't take kindly to the sudden forced stop, and both Keith and Lance are sprayed with little droplets. Keith recoils in surprise, and Lance smirks at him before letting the water he'd gathered from the air return to its original state. “Water won't be  _ forced _ , as you can see. Fire does much the same - try to force fire, and it will only escape your grip and keep burning.” To demonstrate, Lance borrows Keith's magic again and lets it lick up his arm. Then, he scoops it up and compresses it into a ball. It stays like that for maybe a second before it explodes outwards again violently, forcing Lance's hands apart and burning whatever it wants. Lance scoops it up again, but this time he spins it first, swirling a finger quickly until the fire follows its path and coalesces into a funnel of flame. Lance presses it down gently and holds the resulting sphere almost gingerly. The fire keeps circling, contained within his fingers but not trying to escape. Keith jumps, startled, as Lance speaks again. “You need to  _ guide  _ it. Your fire magic is just as stubborn as you are. It won't be forced to do something, nor will it be subdued by force. Which is why the technique Shiro taught you doesn't work for you.” The fire in Lance's palm goes out, and Lance dredges up a little water just to cleanse his system of the improper magic type. Keith is silent for a bit, and then he mutters a quiet,

“Thanks.” Turning his gaze inward, Keith waits until Lance pulls back his water magic and releases Keith's magic, and then tries to do what Lance did. It works better than shoving at the magic, but still doesn't quite succeed. 

**_Take your time, Keith. Don't overextend yourself._ ** Shiro remarks, finally sensing an opening in the conversation where he can rejoin. 

**_Yeah. You gotta find your own technique, one that works with your own magic._ ** He pauses, bites his lip, and sits with his eyes fixed on a small burn mark on the floor for a moment before looking up again. His eyes are unsure, but his inner voice is steady when he continues.  **_Gracie didn't have nearly as much magic as you, Keith. So she had an easier time of it. But her magic, in her head…it looked like a waterfall of lava. Her magic was controlled by giving it a little free reign but still keeping it in containment. I think yours may need a bit more space than hers, though._ ** Lance smirks at Keith, blue eyes shining with a mixture of mirth, pride, and an acceptant sort of grief. Lance's mind is wide open to Shiro and Keith, and they can see his train of thought clearly. He doesn't like thinking of Gracie, and her memory still saddens him, but at the same time he has fully realized that she's gone and he has moved on. 

The peaceful moment is shattered by the sound of a phone ringing shrilly, and Lance and Shiro jump, ears flattening at the harsh sound. Keith curses and pats himself down, looking around for the device before it stops ringing. He and Pidge both have normal cellphones in case of emergency, but they rarely ever use them, and up until a day or so ago, Keith never carried his with him - and Pidge just couldn't find theirs. But the disaster with the Druids’ beast and Pidge and Hunk being on their own for a good while made them start being a bit more careful. Keith finds the phone in one of the waterproof pouches on his belt and answers it with a concerned tone. 

“Hello? Pidge?” He listens for a while, Lance and Shiro waiting expectantly to know what's going on, getting especially nervous as Keith's expression goes from worry to disbelief and shocked betrayal. “Pidge…what do you mean, you're  _ leaving?!”  _

.oOo.

Pidge folds their phone shut with a  **_snap_ ** , sighing deeply before turning to Hunk. 

“Let's go, before they come find and stop us.” Hunk mutters something about wanting them to do both, but picks up his backpack anyways, fastening the specially designed bag carefully between his wings. Pidge hefts their own pack onto their back, huffing softly with the effort and weight of it. Hunk chuckles. 

“We can transfer some stuff into my bag, you know.” Pidge stubbornly starts walking, calling out an answer after a few steps towards the barrier they'd been standing in front of. 

“I can carry it! I need to get used to it anyways. Who knows how long we'll be travelling, especially between supply runs. We might both have to max out our carrying capacity so we don't run out of provisions somewhere.” Hunk sighs. 

“I know.” The unsaid, ‘I wish we didn't have to do this,’ is nonetheless perfectly clear to both of them. 

_ And I wish my family never disappeared. If they'd stayed, maybe I'd know my real magic type by now.  _ Hunk casts a sympathetic look Pidge’s way, but their gaze remains steadfastly forwards, and they give no sign that they just said anything, no admittance of the deep bitterness that was present in those silent comments. So Hunk looks forwards again, eyes fixed on the horizon as he trudges on next to Pidge.  _ Here's hoping we find their magic  _ _ and _ _ their family,  _ he thinks to himself alone,  _ Because if we don't, I don't think I'll be able to handle how distraught Pidge will be.  _

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, that's the first chapter, and there is more to come! The fist few chapters here will likely come fast cuz they're all pre-written! FYI, I ADORE cliffhangers...be warned. XD


End file.
